Sonic Forces: Join The Uprising!
by PhantomHeartless5
Summary: The unthinkable has happened: Sonic has been defeated! With the aid of a mysterious villain named Infinite, the sinister Dr. Eggman has finally conquered the world in the span of six months, with only a ragtag resistance led by Knuckles opposing him. Now a new hero joins the army to take up arms against the Eggman Empire. The fight to take back the world begins! Rated T for cursing
1. Chapter 1: Enter Infinite!

**Author's Note: Here it is, the final story in my _Sonic Dimensions_ trilogy. I had planned to novelize _Sonic Mania's_ Encore Mode, but I changed my mind. Besides, after this, I want to do a few _Smash Bros_ stories for the release of _Ultimate_. Now it's imperative that you have read both _Sonic Mania: The Novelization_ and _Sonic Forces: Prelude to War_ , otherwise some of the plot points in this story will be a bit confusing. So as I said last time, my sincere hope is that whether or not you enjoyed the game, I hope you enjoy this story. Please read, review, and enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

 _ **Sonic Forces: Join The Uprising!**_

Deep underground, within his Arsenal Pyramid in Green Hill, The nefarious Dr. Eggman entered his laboratory. This plan has been three months in the making, and the test tubes containing failed experiments testified to the effort and determination put into it. Of course, Eggman has hatched many schemes for world domination. And all of them ruined by a certain supersonic pest. But not this time. Oh no. _This time_ , he would be the victor. _This time_ , the world would be his. _This time_... he would see Sonic lying broken at his feet like the filthy animal he is.

As Eggman walked through the laboratory, the doctor was deep in thought. " _Sonic. How I hate you_." he thought. " _I've hated you from the moment we met. Hated you with all that I am_." His mind flashed back to the day he first came to South Island in search of the fabled Chaos Emeralds. The day he first laid eyes on the one who would become his eternal adversary. From there, his photographic memory went through every encounter with Sonic. Every battle and every defeat played through his mind like a photo slideshow.

" _You've been nothing but a cruel joke played on me by fate._ " Eggman continued. " _A genius of my caliber forced to endure an endless stream of humiliations at the hands of a pathetic, hyperactive rodent! Every glorious scheme for world domination thrown to the wayside by you and your pathetic friends!_ " He made it to the computer terminal, which was monitoring the vital signs of his newest creation.

"But that's all about to change." he spoke aloud. "I've loathed you with every fiber of my being. And all of that loathing has been focused into this invincible instrument of destruction!" Eggman turned to Cubot, who was cleaning a test tube containing his newest creation. This one wasn't a robot like his other creations, but organic. A masked animal with a gemstone on its chest. In a past life, this creature was a lowly mercenary. Now, it has been transformed into a being of pure power, a force of total destruction. His greatest triumph.

"Every defeat, every embarrassment, _every_ humiliation at the hedgehog's hands will be repaid a thousandfold. No, a _**millionfold**_ , by my unstoppable creation!" Eggman knocked Cubot aside and placed his hand on the glass. "This is my dream come true and soon it will be your _nightmare_ , Sonic!" He dragged his nails along the glass, leaving noticeable scratch marks.

"With this invention, not only will I be able to expand the Eggman Empire across the globe, but I will _finally_ see the end of the world's so-called Greatest Hero. Get ready to face my wrath, Sonic the Hedgehog! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Eggman's deranged laughter filled the laboratory. Orbot and Cubot cowered behind the computer terminal. The doctor was always a bit too absorbed in his plots, but this time, he seemed to have truly gone off the deep end.

"The boss means business this time!" Orbot said.

"Uh-huh." Cubot nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, in the test tube, the gemstone on the creature's chest gave off a faint glow and the creature's fingers twitched before its hands clenched themselves into a pair of fists. The being opened its eye, revealing a demonic gold pupil set against the backdrop of a blood-red sclera.

* * *

 _ **In Sunset Heights...**_

Pandemonium. That was the only word one could use to describe the carnage taking place.

Since Eggman's last attack on the city, everyone knew it would only be a matter of time before Eggman struck again. The good doctor wasn't one to throw in the towel. But no one was prepared for the swiftness and the ferocity of the attack. Everything started off peaceful at first, with the civilian militia watching the sky's for Eggman's battleships. But instead of battleships, they were greeted by the sight of strange portals opening in the sky. From those portals came dozens of titanic Death Egg Robots as well as legions of Egg Pawns and Egg Fighters.

Despite being caught off guard by the sudden attack, the militia swiftly fought back to repel the robotic hordes while the noncombatants were quickly evacuated out of the city. However, the endless stream of robots quickly turned it into a battle of attrition. But hope would soon arrive for the beleaguered troops. Hope in the form of the world-famous Sonic the Hedgehog.

Sonic was in the Green Hill Zone when Tails informed him of Eggman's attack. Overlooking the destruction from the roof of a building, Sonic watched as the Death Egg Robots ravaged the once beautiful town. Anger and determination were sewn into the Blue Blur's features. "Eggman's really brought his A-Game." Sonic said. "Guess I'll just have to up my game."

Tapping the communicator on his wrist, Sonic contacted Tails. "Tails, I'm in the city." he said. "What's your position?"

" _I'm in the park_." Tails replied. " _Some of the civilians didn't evacuate in time. I tried leading them out of the city, but I'm pinned down by Eggman's robots! I could use some help!_ "

"Hang tight, I'm on my way!" Sonic jumped down from the building and took off running. As he ran down the road, his path was soon obstructed by a Death Egg Robot. The robot's single red eye began glowing and it fired a powerful laser at Sonic. The blue hedgehog easily dodged the laser using Quick Step. The robot raised its mighty fist and attempted to crush Sonic, but Sonic leapt onto its claw and ran up its arm.

Sonic leapt at the robot's face and performed a Spin Dash right through the eye, toppling the colossus. "All too easy." Sonic said. "Now to get to Tails." While still in midair, Sonic performed his Boost technique, rocketing through the air and straight to the park.

At the park, Tails was busy fighting off Eggman's robots. The young fox was armed with a Lightning Wispon in one hand and his personal arm cannon on the other hand. A crowd of frightened civilians, human and animal alike, watched as Tails fought off the relentless army of Egg Fighters. Tails wielded his Lightning Wispon with surprising grace, using the lightning whip in tandem with his twin tails to strike down the malevolent machines. Those that didn't meet their end by his whip were shot with his arm cannon.

"My, look how much you've grown, Tails." Eggman sneered, looking down on him and the crowd from his Egg-Mobile. Floating next to him were Metal Sonic, Orbot, and Cubot.

"If you want to hurt these people, you'll have to get through me!" Tails declared.

"I'm sure I will." Eggman replied. "But truthfully, I'm just passing the time."

"Passing the time?" Tails asked, head tilted end eyebrow raised in confusion.

"You'll see." Eggman said. The doctor snapped his fingers and more Egg Pawns appeared through portals. The robots marched towards Tails and the crowd of civilians, lined up like a firing squad preparing for an execution. Tails dropped into a fighting stance, but inside, he was nervous. " _I can't take all of these guys by myself._ " he thought. " _Come on, Sonic, where the heck are you?!_ "

His answer soon came in the form of a gentle breeze which quickly picked up speed until it became a raging blue whirlwind that surrounded the Egg Pawns and carried them into the air. Everyone covered their eyes to protect themselves from the dust being kicked up by the wind. Everyone except Eggman, who just smiled.

When the wind died down, everyone looked to see Sonic the Hedgehog standing in front of them, arms folded and glaring daggers at Eggman. The crowd broke into wild cheers at the arrival of the world famous hero. "Everybody okay?" Sonic asked, turning to the crowd.

"We are thanks to you." Tails replied. "Cutting it a bit close there, pal."

"Yeah, that's pretty much how I roll." Sonic replied. He turned to face Eggman again. "It's been a while, Egghead. You never call and you never write. I was almost beginning to think I'd never see you again."

"Well, I certainly didn't want to miss your inevitable demise now, did I?" Eggman remarked, calmly taking off his glasses and wiping the dust off them with his handkerchief. As Tails led the civilians away, he couldn't help but notice Eggman's reactions. Ot rather, his _lack_ of reaction. He wasn't angry that Sonic arrived. He was calm. _Too_ calm. It was like he was _expecting_ Sonic to show up. A chill ran down Tails' spine and his fur stood on end. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Eggman, we've been doing this dance for years and you haven't won yet." Sonic said. "And Metal, how many times have I kicked your shiny metal ass?" Electric sparks radiated from Metal Sonic at that question. "Here's the cold hard facts: You're never gonna beat me, much less conquer the world. So why don't you just take your toys, go home, and save me the trouble of having to humiliate you again?"

Eggman just sat in his Egg-Mobile with his arms folded across his chest, seemingly unfazed by his nemesis' taunts. "There it is, that trademark confidence." he said. "Just one of the many, many, _**many**_ things I've come to loathe about you. But you're right. You've humiliated me so many times, ruined so many of my schemes, torn down everything I sought to build! And for that, I want you to suffer until your last breath, to die broken in disgrace _**FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE!** _And with my ultimate weapon, I'll finally achieve my ambitions!"

Sonic sighed and rolled his eyes. "Alright, Eggman, bring out your giant robot so I can trash it and we can all go home."

"No giant robot this time." Eggman replied. Sonic stared at in confusion, but soon sensed something heading towards him. Sonic jumped out of the way as several Chaos Spears descended on him. Shadow then teleported in next to Eggman, only he looked a little different. He was glitching out as if he was in a computer program.

"Shadow?! The hell are you doing?!" Sonic asked angrily.

"Isn't it obvious?" Eggman asked with a knowing smirk. "Shadow has finally joined the winning team. And he's not the only one." The lid on a nearby sewer manhole began rattling and water erupted out of the sewer. Moving with a mind of its own, the water lunged at Sonic, who narrowly dodged out of the way. The water thorn moved next to Eggman and reformed itself into a humanoid shape with green eyes and an exposed brain.

"Chaos?! But how?!" Sonic didn't have time to ponder on it when he noticed a shadow growing underneath him. Sonic got out of the way as what appeared to be a large red demon with spiked bracelets on its wrists punched the ground, catering it. Sonic knew who this was. It was Zavok, leader of the Deadly Six. Only thing was that last time Sonic saw him, he fell into a pool of lava.

"Miss me, hedgehog?" The Zeti snarled.

"Like a bad skin rash." Sonic replied.

"Isn't this great, Sonic?" Eggman mockingly asked. "It's like a reunion where everyone wants you dead! But these guys are just the supporting cast. My real star... is right up there." Eggman gestured up towards the sky, where strange cracks began to form. The sky thorn shattered like the glass of a window, revealing another dark portal.

From the portal descended a strange creature. The being had its arms folded as it descended to the ground like a demigod. The creature had black fur and wore matching black gloves and boots. It had a bushy tail like a fox and wore a fox-shaped mask that concealed its face save for a glowing left eye that had a gold pupil and red sclera. However, the dreadlocks made it hard to pin down exactly what species it was. The creature's most noticeable feature was the ruby gemstone on its chest. It was surrounded in an aura of dark crimson flames and red glitching particles.

"So you're the famous Sonic the Hedgehog." the being spoke, it's voice carrying a demonic echo. "It's an honor to meet you in person."

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: A Hero Falls. Next time on _Sonic Forces!_ Sonic finds himself in the fight of his life against old enemies, a friend-turned-foe, and a mysterious new opponent. However, their combined might may end up being too much for him to handle. Has the Blue Blur finally met his match? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Sonic Forces!_**


	2. Chapter 2: A Hero Falls!

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Sonic Forces!_ Eggman launches another assault on the peaceful city of Sunset Heights. Sonic arrives to aid the civilian militia, but soon finds himself confronted by old adversaries led by a new opponent.**

 **Author's Note: Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!**

" _Well, this is a real fine mess I've gotten myself into._ " Sonic thought. The hedgehog came to help the town and now found himself facing down a mad scientist, a robotic doppelganger of himself, a water demigod, the Ultimate Life Form, a Zeti warrior, and some creep in a mask. For anyone else, a scenario like this would be terrifying. But what does Sonic do?

The thrill-seeker smiles.

"So this is your new whipping boy, Eggman?" Sonic jokingly asked. "Sorry, Metal, guess Eggman's finally replaced you." Failing to get a reaction from Eggman or Metal Sonic, Sonic turned to Shadow. "Hey Shadow, he a friend of yours? I kinda see a resemblance here." he said, taking notice of the two standing with their arms folded.

"Cling to that attitude while you can, rodent." Eggman said. "We'll see who has the final laugh soon enough." The masked being stood silent and continued to hatefully glare at Sonic with his single red and gold eye. Sonic brushed his nose with a scoff and used his Sonic Boost to charge at the masked being. But the creature... dashed out of the way. It was done in an instant. One minute he was in front of Sonic, and the next minute he disappeared. This was troubling. No one has been able to dodge a Sonic Boost at point blank range before.

Still, Sonic wasn't going to give up. Sonic followed up with a Humming Top, performing a spinning roundhouse kick aimed at the back of the being's head. Without turning to look at him, the being ducked to avoid the kick, causing Sonic to land right in front of him. Sonic growled and unleashed a flurry of rapid punches and kicks with his super speed. Without moving from his spot, the creature evaded all of Sonic's blows.

Tails, meanwhile, watched the bout with a growing sense of unease. " _This guy is as fast as Sonic_." he thought. " _Maybe faster! No, it can't be that! There's gotta be more to it than that! Better scan him and figure it out quick!_ " Tails pulled out his Miles Electric and began fiddling with it. But when he pointed it at the masked creature, all he got was red static and random numbers. "What the heck?! The readings don't make sense!" he shouted.

The masked being continued to dodge Sonic's high-speed attacks until he finally pushed Sonic back with a palm thrust, the force of the blow knocking Sonic to the ground. Panting hard, Sonic got to his feet. After standing motionless for a moment,. Sonic suddenly ran out of the park. " _Sonic's... retreating?_ " Tails thought. " _No. He's gotta have a plan!_ " Tails eyes widened as he realized what Sonic planned to do and he took off into the air.

"Running scared, are we?!" Eggman taunted. "Some heroes you are!" Sonic, however, couldn't hear his taunts as he was far from Eggman, just outside the city gates, actually. He began charging up his Super Peel-Out technique, moving his legs in place with such speed that it looked like a figure eight. Sonic then transitioned into a Spin Dash, curling into a ball and building up more momentum before finally blasting off like a rocket, creating a sonic boom. It was a technique he was perfecting called the "Sonic Cannonball", a Spin Dash augmented by the power of the Sonic Boost.

Sonic rocketed through the city at breakneck speeds, reaching the park in the blink of an eye. At the last second, Sonic uncurled and delivered a solid punch to the masked creature. The force of the impact created a shockwave that could be felt throughout the city. A cloud of dust covered the park. Tails himself was on a nearby building, safely out of reach.

"That _had_ to work." Tails said. "Sonic's been practicing that move for a while now. Nothing could have-" Tails' words were cut short by what he saw when the dust settled. Eggman and the others were protected by a barrier of magnetic energy created by Zavok's magnetic powers. The masked creature, however, was completely unharmed and had caught Sonic's fist in his hand.

"That's impossible!" Tails exclaimed.

Sonic stared in open-mouthed shock, but before he could react, the masked one kneed Sonic right in the gut, knocking the wind out of the blue hedgehog and causing him to cough up some blood. Sonic stumbled forward a bit and the creature elbowed Sonic in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground once more. The being rose into the air and began gathering black and crimson energy in his hand. "All too easy." the being said as it fired an energy blast at Sonic.

Sonic jumped to his feet, dodged the blast, and launched a Homing Attack at the masked creature. The creature moved out of the way and launched Sonic into the air with a backflip kick. He then teleported next to him and kicked Sonic into an archway. The archway fell to pieces as Sonic fell to the ground.

"Hold on, Sonic! I'm coming!" Tails said as he flew towards Sonic. Sadly, he didn't get far as Chaos used his elastic, liquid arms to pluck Tails right out of the sky and slam him against the wall, encasing most of the fox's body in an icy cocoon, save for his head. Tails struggled against his frozen bonds. "Congratulations, Tails." Eggman said. "You get a front-row seat to watch your friend die. Speaking of watching Sonic die... Orbot, Cubot, are you getting all this?"

"Recording it and broadcasting it live as per your orders, boss!" Orbot replied as Cubit used the built-in camera in his eyes to record the fight.

"Good. I want the whole world to witness... the end of Sonic the Hedgehog." Eggman said.

"Tails!" Sonic rushed to help Tails, but was forced to block an incoming punch from Zavok, who slammed him through the wall. Sonic attempted to land a punch, but Zavok dodged the punch and retaliated with a spinning backhand that sent Sonic flying out of the wall. Sonic got to his feet and launched himself at the masked being with a Boost attack, only for Shadow to teleport in front of him with Chaos Control and perform an axe kick that sent Sonic crashing to the ground.

Shadow then followed up with a Chaos Spear, only for Sonic to dodge it. The blue hedgehog didn't have much time to rest as he was quickly attacked by Chaos. The water being sprouted multiple arms outfitted with scimitars created from ice. Chaos frantically swung its multiple scimitars. Sonic's world-class speed allowed him to evade the assault and he retaliated with a Homing Attack. But Chaos opened a hole in his chest, causing Sonic to harmlessly pass through him.

Before Sonic could react, Chaos fired a blast of pressurized water, drenching the hedgehog and slamming him against the wall. Metal Sonic then fired a blast of electricity at Sonic. The hedgehog screamed in pain as electricity coursed through his soaked body. Once the onslaught ended, Sonic fell to the ground. Beaten, battered, bruised, bloody, but far from broken, Sonic attempted to rise to his feet only for Shadow to teleport next to him and fired a blast of Chaos energy at point-blank range that sent him flying towards Zavok, who then sent him flying into the air with a double axe handle.

Metal Sonic then flew through the air, striking Sonic several times with his claws before sending him to the ground with a double-fisted hammer strike. As Sonic attempted to get up, the masked creature crashed onto Sonic's back with a double-footed stomp that cratered the ground. Sonic screamed in agony, but was quickly silenced by a blow to the head from the creature.

"Sonic...?" Tails tentatively asked. But Sonic didn't respond. He just lied there completely motionless. He didn't even appear to be _breathing_. "Sonic, get up." Tails pleaded, tears forming in his eyes. "Sonic, you have to get up! Please, Sonic! _Please get up!_ "

"Don't grieve for him." the creature sneered, forming an energy ball in his hand and pointing it at Tails. "After all, you'll be joining him in Hell soon enough." Tails froze like a deer in the headlights. Absolute fear washed over him and he saw his entire life flash before his eyes. All he could do was pray for a swift death. Instead of death, however, his prayer was answered in the form of smoke bombs that covered the park.

Eggman, Shadow, and Zavok were sent into a coughing fit, by the smoke. "What the?! tear gas?!" Eggman exclaimed. Metal Sonic spun in place, creating a whirlwind that sucked up all the tear gas in the area. With the smoke cleared, the villains looked to see that Tails was gone, having somehow been freed from the ice. "Hmm, given the smoke bombs and the precise way the ice was cut, I'd say this was Espio's doing." Eggman deduced.

"Shall I pursue them?" the masked being asked.

"No. Let them flee." Eggman said. "Besides, I've already bagged my prize."

"Boss, I hate to put a damper on the mood." Orbot began, "But vital scans indicate that Sonic is still alive, but just barely."

"Huh. Tenacious little rodent." Eggman said.

"I'll finish this." Metal said as he brandished his claws.

"No!" Eggman shouted. "There'll be time enough for that later. I've waited years for this moment, after all. I want to _savor_ it. Besides... It's time for our close up."

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, at Resistance HQ...**_

"We've gotta go back!" Tails protested. Using some clever ninja skills, Espio managed to rescue Tails from Eggman's clutches and brought him to the headquarters, a series of underground bunkers underneath a flower shop. He would've liked to rescue Sonic too, but with him surrounded by Eggman and his cronies made that impossible. Needless to say, Tails wasn't having it.

"Tails, that's impossible!" Espio said. "It was a big enough risk trying to get you out of there. Besides, for all we know, Sonic could be-"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY IT!" Tails shrieked, pushing Espio against the wall.

"Tails, calm down!" Knuckles shouted. "We'll rescue Sonic, I promise, but we need to know what we're up against! Now what can you tell us about-"

"GUYS!" Amy yelled. She was at the computer when the symbol of the Eggman Empire flashed on the computer monitor. Blaze, Charmy, Vector, Silver, Gold, Marine, Cream, and Big ran into the room as the monitor then transitioned to Eggman's actual face.

" _Hello, everyone!_ " Eggman exuberantly greeted. " _We interrupt your regularly scheduled broadcast to bring you this surprise announcement! This is Dr. Eggman speaking, the greatest scientific mind the world has ever known and soon to be the new emperor of the world! Now, to those who may be thinking, 'Sonic'll stop you just like he always does!' well, think again!_ " The camera then turned away from Eggman...

...and the image it showed would be forever etched into the minds of everyone across the globe.

It was Sonic. The hedgehog was unconscious, barely moving and strung up by his wrists with rings made of red cubes. Next to him were Metal Sonic, Chaos, Shadow, Zavok, and a creature wearing a fox-shaped mask with a gemstone on its chest. Sonic was a horrible sight. His body was covered in blood and claw marks, some of it dripping from his mouth. Patches of his fur were burned from electricity. His gloves were ruined. And he had a black eye. It was clear that the hero fought to the last breath.

The reaction from everyone in the room was pure horror. Amy screamed and began crying into Big's chest, who could only offer a hug in response. Blaze closed her eyes in grief as Silver placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Silver himself looked to be moved to tears and Gold held his hand to comfort him. The younger members such as Charmy, Marine, and Cream looked frightened. Vector, Espio, and Knuckles looked angry.

But Tails? Tails' reaction was the worst. The young fox sank to his knees, a look of shock and disbelief displayed on his face. Outwardly, he looked stunned, but inside, his mind was racing. " _He can't be dead... He can't be dead... **He can't be dead!**_ " the mantra played over and over in his mind.

"Here is your hero." Eggman went on. "Cowed and broken like the animal he is, crushed by the hands of my newest warrior: The mighty Infinite!" The camera then turned back to Eggman, whose expression was one of utter madness. "Now, to all the fools who wish to defy me, particularly those under the leadership of a certain Echidna, I have only one thing to say... _YOUR **HERO** IS DEAD! YOUR **HOPE** IS DEAD! **I** AM YOUR ONE, **TRUE** MASTER! LET THIS BE A LESSON TO ALL! Today marks the dawn of a new age! The age... OF EGGMAN!_"

Eggman cackled maniacally, a tone of triumph and psychotic glee. "This is just the first stop, by the way. We may be coming to a country near you. Stay tuned." With that, the camera feed cut off. Everyone in the room was stunned silent.

"We have to rescue Sonic." Knuckles said, only his voice held noticeable cracks in it as he struggled not to cry. "We have to keep fighting. We have to... DAMMIT!" Knuckles began punching the wall repeatedly, leaving imprints of his fists with his strength. "I should've been there!" Espio ran over to him and placed his hands on his shoulders.

"This is no time to lose your head!" the chameleon said. "You're our leader now! We need you calm!" Knuckles took a few deep breaths to calm down. "You're right." Knuckles replied. "We need a plan. Tails, I need you to-" Knuckles cut himself off when he saw that Tails was still in a fetal position. "Tails...?" he asked.

Tails didn't respond. His mind was still in shock. His hands were trembling. The blank expression on his face quickly turned into one of pure rage. Tails sprang to his feet, grabbed a lightning Wispon and took off for the door. Knuckles immediately tackled Tails to the ground.

"LET ME GO! HE NEEDS ME! SONIC NEEDS ME! HE'S MY FRIEND! I HAVE TO SAVE HIM! THERE COULD STILL BE TIME! HE COULD STILL BE ALIVE!" Tails shouted, furiously struggling to escape Knuckles' grip. Everyone else looked on with a mix of shock and pity. The poor fox had truly lost it.

"I understand how you feel, Tails." Knuckles said, his voice cracking as tears fell from his eyes. "I feel the exact same way. He's my friend too, after all. But you saw what happened! We don't know what the hell we're up against! You go out there, you're just handing Eggman another victim! Please, we need you here!"

Tails' struggling slowed to a halt and Knuckles finally got off him. Tails sniffled a bit, shuddering before letting out a mournful, almost primal wail. His friend, his brother, was dead and he couldn't do anything to save him. " _ **SONNNICCC!**_ " Tails cry echoed throughout the base. That cry was likely echoed all the world over as everyone came to the horrifying realization...

...Sonic, the world's greatest hero, was dead.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Six Months of Pain. In this six-chapter miniseries, as Eggman begins his conquest of the world, we take a look at how everyone struggles to come to grips with the news of Sonic's demise and how they try to pick up the pieces and move forward.**


	3. Chapter 3: Holding On To Hope!

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Sonic Forces!_ Sonic arrived in Sunset Heights to aid the civilian militia in beating back Eggman's forces. However, Sonic was confronted by old enemies and a mysterious new foe. Despite Sonic's best efforts, he found himself hopelessly outmatched by their combined strength. Now, in part one of our "Six Months of Pain" miniseries, we see how our heroes deal with the shattering news of Sonic's tragic demise as they must confront the terrifying reality of a world under Eggman's heel.**

 **Author's Note: Sorry this took so long. I wasn't sure how I would go about this six-month miniseries. Though I should tell you that these six chapters are gonna be short.**

 _Sonic was dead._

Three words, three _impossible_ words, sent shockwaves throughout the world. Despite it being a full month since the news of Sonic's tragic demise, the image of his battered and bloodied body was still etched in the minds of everyone as if it happened only yesterday. Unfortunately for the world, there wasn't much time to grieve as Eggman had begun his hostile takeover of the world. Eggman had decided to save the United Federation for last and began attacking other countries instead. His army of robots spread out and began invading countries left and right.

Though GUN had taken a major hit from having their base destroyed, they still had smaller bases in other parts of the world and attempted to give aid where they could, but that meant spreading their forces a bit thin. There was growing concern that they wouldn't have enough troops to defend the Federation from attack.

But nowhere was the tension more palpable than in Sunset Heights. It was the place where Sonic died, after all. While Sunset Heights was a part of South Island and thus outside the United Federation, that did little to ease the anxiety and fear felt throughout the city, especially since other parts of the island were being overrun with Eggman's forces. The Resistance did their best to fight back against the mechanical army. Everyone was on edge, wondering when Eggman would strike again. Practice drills were a daily occurrence. Almost everyone had a Wispon or two. Many had fled the city.

But underneath the anxiety was a pervasive level of sadness. Sonic's death hit hard for everyone, particularly his friends in the Resistance. Everyone dealt with the news in their own way. Amy, in particular, tried to keep busy by managing the day-to-day organizations of the Resistance. Still, there were times she found herself breaking into tears. She was Sonic's self-appointed "girlfriend", so his death hit especially close to her.

Right now, Amy was going to visit Tails in his room. Ah yes, Tails. Amy may have took Sonic's death hard, but Tails was suffering even more than she was. The day it happened was the worst day of the fox's life. Poor Tails became so hysterical that he eventually had to be sedated. Ever since that day, he rarely left his room. He couldn't stop blaming himself for what happened.

Amy got to his room and knocked on the door. She opened the door to find Tails sitting on the bed, looking at his Miles Electric. He was reviewing footage of the battle with Sonic and Eggman's monster, desperately trying to find something that could explain what happened.

"Hey Tails." Amy greeted. "I brought you a snack." she placed a tray with a sandwich and orange juice on the table. That's when she saw a portrait of Tails and Sonic at the EX Grand Prix tournament. He, Sonic, and Knuckles had won another Extreme Gear race against the Babylon Rouges. Amy remembered that day. She was in the audience cheering them on, especially Sonic. Such a happy time back then. How she would love to have those happy moments back.

"Thanks." Tails replied, not even looking up at her. Amy went silent for a moment, then spoke up. "Listen, Tails..."

"Don't." Tails cut her off. "If you're going to tell me that it wasn't my fault or that I shouldn't blame myself, don't. I've heard it enough already." Amy blinked a few times in surprise, then sighed, having grown used to this reaction. "Look Tails," Amy began, "I know it's hard right now, but you can't keep doing this to yourself. What happened back then wasn't your fault. I know you don't like hearing that, but it's true. Nobody saw it coming."

"But that's just it." Tails said, choking up. "I _should've_ seen it coming. I'm supposed to be the smart guy, the one with all the answers. But I wasn't smart enough to save my friend. He's gone because of me! I watched him die and there was nothing I could do!" Frustrated, he threw the Miles Electric against the wall and buried his face in his hands.

Amy flinched. It was hard to see Tails in such pain. The female hedgehog placed a hand on Tails' shoulder. "I understand how you feel, Tails." Amy began. "Sonic was my friend too and I miss him a lot. And there's not a day that goes by that I wish that I could've saved him. But as much as it hurts, I know Sonic wouldn't want us to keep dwelling on the past and I know he wouldn't want you to keep sitting in your room feeling sorry for yourself. That's not how he was. He lived his life every day with no regrets, always moving to the next big adventure."

Amy stood up and began to exit the room. "He may not be here. But that doesn't mean that we stand around while Eggman runs roughshod around the world." she said. "We need to be ready when Eggman comes back." Just as she left the room, Tails called out to her. "Amy?"

She turned to look at Tails. "Yeah?"

"Do you think... Sonic's still alive?" he tentatively asked. Amy fell silent, clearly caught off guard by the question. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I've been thinking..." Tails began. "I don't think Eggman would kill Sonic right away. He hates him too much just to kill him. He'd probably want to make him suffer. What if he kidnapped him and is holding him prisoner somewhere and he's torturing him? If we knew where he was, maybe we could save him!"

Amy looked down, remaining silent. Truthfully, she sometimes dreamt that Sonic was still among them. But the thought of Sonic being at Eggman's mercy like that was frightening. "I do dream that Sonic is still alive sometimes." Amy said. "But sometimes, it's best not to get your hopes up." With that, Amy left the room.

Tails, meanwhile, looked at the portrait of him and Sonic. Immediately, he remembered what Sonic said to him when they first met. " _Remember, Tails, when life gets tough, just keep on running!_ " He then looked at his Miles Electric, which was remarkably intact despite being thrown across the room. He clenched his fists as his resolve grew. Tails grabbed a pen and paper, sat at his desk and began to write.

" _Sorry, guys._ " Tails thought. " _This is something I need to do._ "

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, at an unknown location...**_

Sonic sat in his jail cell. The cell he was in was a small cage on a small platform surrounded by a bottomless void on all sides. The dome shaped walls of the dimly-lit room were all lined with semi-automatic machine guns, all ready to fire if Sonic made any sudden moves. His only link to the outside world was a TV screen that hung from the ceiling of the cage. Sonic himself had his hands restrained by energy cuffs on his wrists, which were only removed when it was time to eat.

It had been a full month since he woke up in this place. He had no idea where he was or how he got here. All he remembered was fighting Eggman's and his band of cronies. Especially that masked freak. He was still sporting bruises from that fight as well as a broken rib from when that thing stomped on his back. While Eggman hadn't bothered treating his injuries, he at least made sure Sonic had food, if one could call the _slop_ he was forced to eat food.

Sonic's thoughts were cut short by the sound of the door opening. Stepping through the door was Zavok, the self-appointed warden of this prison and Sonic's only visitor in this place, though his "visits" often left Sonic with more bruises. More platforms rose from the void, forming a bridge between Sonic's cell and the door. Zavok made his way over to Sonic's cell. "Well, look who it is." Sonic said. "Come to rough me up some more?"

"You have a visitor, hedgehog." the Zeti replied as he pulled out a small orb and pressed a button on it. The orb flew out of Zavok's hand and rose into the air before summoning a hologram of Eggman. " _Hello there, Sonic!_ " Eggman greeted. " _Sorry I couldn't visit you in person, but I've been busy conquering the world! Anyway, I just came to check and see how you were doing!_ "

"Between the crap I'm forced to eat and this big red idiot using me as an occasional punching bag? Just peachy." Sonic replied.

" _Nice to see your attitude is still intact_." Eggman said. " _Though I doubt you'll have it for long_."

"Right." Sonic said. "You're gonna regret not killing me when you had the chance, Egghead. My friends are gonna find out where I am soon, and then we'll-"

" _Oh, but that's just it!_ " Eggman exclaimed. " _ **No one's** coming to your rescue! The whole world thinks you're dead!_" That statement managed to do the impossible: it shut Sonic up. The hedgehog stared at the Eggman hologram in complete disbelief.

" _That's right!_ " Eggman went on. " _Everyone's thinks you're dead! No one knows where you are and no one's coming to save you! And as for not killing you, did you really think I'd give you the pleasure of a swift death? No, Sonic, I don't want you to just die. I want you to die in utter soul-crushing despair! I want to see that look of optimism wiped off your face completely! That's what the TV's for! I want you to watch as I decimate all who stand against me, as I **forge a new empire from the ashes of this world!** Only when you have fully understood the depth of your failure, only when the final pitiful spark of your hope has been extinguished... **Then** , you'll have my permission to die_."

With that, the hologram disappeared and the orb flew back into Zavok's hand. "I must say, I like the way Eggman thinks." the Zeti remarked. "See you later, Sonic." Zavok laughed maliciously as he exited the room.

Now alone, Sonic's thoughts shifted. "Sorry guys." he thought. " _Looks like I won't be there to save the day this time. It's up to you guys now. But I know you can do it! I know you'll keep fighting! Eggman thinks he can break me, but he's dead wrong. I have faith in all of you. Stay strong, everyone!_ "

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Clouded Future. In part two of the "Six Months of Pain" miniseries, Silver and Gold attempt to make sense of what happened as they look ahead to a future without Sonic.**


	4. Chapter 4: Clouded Future!

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Sonic Forces!_ Amy goes to visit Tails, who was still reeling from the death of his friend Sonic. After a conversation with the pink hedgehog, Tails comes to believe that Sonic is still alive and resolves to find him. Now our "Six Months of Pain" miniseries has us visit Silver, Gold, and Knuckles as they come to grips with Sonic's demise.**

 **Author's Note: Chapter contains references to my previous story, _Sonic Forces: Prelude To War_. It's recommended to read that story first for better context. **

Two months after Eggman began his hostile takeover of the planet, and 30% of the planet was under his control. Holoska, Mazuri, and Shamar were the first countries to be conquered. Despite having the aid of GUN, their forces were no match for Eggman's army, especially Eggman's mysterious masked warrior, who singlehandedly took out an entire infantry. The footage sent panic throughout the globe as other countries considered capitulation.

Meanwhile, on South Island, things were not looking good for the Resistance. Tails had left! All they found was the translator that allowed them to understand the Wisps and a letter from him saying that he believed Sonic was still alive and he was going to find him and bring him back. This was bad. Without Tails' technological expertise, the Resistance would be at a huge disadvantage. Sure, they had Wave the Swallow, but managing Wispon production by herself would be daunting.

Even worse, Eggman's Arsenal Pyramid in Green Hill was continuing to pump out robots and send them all across South Island. The Resistance spread out in various Zones trying to fight them off and it was quickly turning into a battle of attrition. Silver had just come back from helping troops fight off Eggman's robots in the Jungle Zone. There were more casualties on Silver's side than on Eggman's side.

God, were they really that reliant on Sonic to save the day?

Silver walked into the room and saw Gold on the computer. "Hey, Gold." Silver greeted. "Where's Amy?"

"Amy needed a break, so I told her I'd take over for a bit." the telepathic tenrec replied.

"Huh. This must be stressful for her." Silver said.

"It's stressful for all of us." Gold replied, lowering her head as she suddenly went silent.

"What's wrong?" Silver asked.

"It's strange." Gold replied. "I've always wanted to come to the past, see what things were like before Onyx City. Now my first trip here and we're smack-dab in the middle of a global crisis. It's almost like we never left the future."

"Ain't that the truth." Silver dejectedly remarked. "Seems like every time I come here, bad news always follows. Just once, I'd like to come here and just hang out with everyone. But now Sonic's... _gone_. And Tails is gone too. And we're in the middle of a war! I knew we'd be fighting to save our future, but now we have to save this world too."

"Yeah." Gold said. "But we knew what we were getting into when we came here. There's no use crying about it. But... do you think we'll be able to stop Eggman _without_ Sonic?" That question made Silver pause. That was the big question that had been swirling around the Resistance since Sonic's death.

"I want to say yes." Silver replied. "But honestly, I'm not sure. All I can say is that it won't be easy. Anyway, where's Knuckles? Have to give him my report."

"Same place he usually is: the Training Room." Gold said.

"I see." Silver replied. "Thanks Gold."

* * *

 **Meanwhile, in the Training Room...**

Anyone entering the Training Room would hear the echoes of a punching bag being struck. That was Knuckles doing his usual exercise routine. Leading the charge against the Eggman Empire was stressful, so this had become his sanctuary of sorts. A place of solace where he could escape. His visits here have been more frequent ever since Tails went solo. With his genius mind gone, things have been harder as he had to come up with the strategizing. Also, Wispons weren't being made as fast as usual.

Knuckles was so into his routine that he didn't notice Silver walk into the room. "Hey, Knuckles." Silver greeted. The echidna stopped what he was doing and turned to Silver. "Silver, good to see you." Knuckles said. "Anything to report?"

"We managed to push back Eggman's forces in the Jungle Zone." Silver began. "But we suffered heavy casualties." Knuckles lowered his head and sighed, grasping the bridges of his nose. "Seems to be the case these days." Knuckles said. "No matter how hard we push back, we always suffer losses on our side."

"If only Tails were still here." Silver said. "Then we could form a strategy rather than just play defense."

"Tell me about it." Knuckles grumbled. "How could Tails up and leave like that? What does he think he can accomplish alone?!"

"He said this was something he _had_ to do alone." Silver said. "He still believes Sonic's alive and needs rescuing. In a weird way, this gives him hope."

" _Yeah, well hope doesn't always agree with reality!_ " Knuckles shouted, punching the bag with enough force that it was sent flying across the room. "And did he forget that _we_ need him too?! Besides, this doesn't change the fact that Sonic's _**dead!**_ He's-!" Knuckles caught himself, as if the reality of what he just said finally dawned on him. He lowered his head and closed his eyes, fighting back the tears threatening to leak out of them.

"He's gone..." Knuckles trailed off as he sat on the bench. Silver sat down next to him. "Guess Tails isn't the only one in denial." Knuckles gave a mirthless chuckle. "Funny. Two months in and it still doesn't feel real."

"I know what you mean." Silver said. "Sonic always seemed... unstoppable. Untouchable. Like nothing could hurt him."

"That's the way he lived." Knuckles replied. "I remember the day he first came to Angel Island, the day we first met. Eggman tricked me into thinking Sonic was after the Master Emerald and we ended up fighting. Unfortunately, Eggman used the distraction to steal the Master Emerald to power his Death Egg. Sonic helped me get it back. Even though I tried to kill him, he still risked everything to help me. Ever since then, even though he was a pain in the ass sometimes, he's been my best friend."

"Yeah. No matter how bad things got, we could always count on him to save the day." Silver said. "But not this time. This time it's up to us."

Knuckles went silent for a few moments. "Silver, do you think I'm really cut out for this? Leading the Resistance? When you and Gold first came to me, I said I would lead the charge against whatever crisis was coming our way, but _this_... who could be ready for _this?_ "

"No one could be ready for this." Silver replied. "That's how life works. Sometimes life doesn't give you warnings. Even a time traveler like me can get caught off guard. We just have to play with the hand we're dealt."

"Maybe." Knuckles said. "But we haven't really accomplished much, have we? We certainly haven't scored any massive victories against Eggman. So far, we've been playing defense. And other countries haven't fared much better. Do you think that someone else should lead the Resistance?"

Silver placed a comforting hand on Knuckles' shoulder. "I can't tell you if you're cut out for this. That's up to you to decide. All I can say is that you're the leader and it's time to stop feeling sorry for yourself. That's not gonna win us this war. Only strong leadership will."

"I guess you're right." Knuckles replied. "Thanks, Silver. Things have been busy, so I haven't had anyone to talk to."

"Anytime, Knuckles." Silver replied as he shook Knuckles' hand. At that moment, Gold ran into the room. "Guys, trouble!" she yelled. "Eggman's robots have broken into the city again!"

"No rest for the weary, huh?" Silver asked. "Your orders, Commander?"

"Battle stations, everyone!" Knuckles shouted. "Let's show Eggman he can't mess with our world without a fight!"

"Yeah!" Silver and Gold shouted as the trio ran outside.

* * *

 _ **On the Death Egg...**_

Sonic was doing his usual exercise routine of sit ups and squats. With his hands restrained by energy cuffs, his exercise was limited, but he made do with what he had. It helped take his mind off of his situation. He had just watched the footage of Eggman's masked monster take out an entire infantry of GUN soldiers, then saw it lay waste to the country of Shamar. Anger and horror stirred within him. People were in danger and he couldn't help them. He hated this. This feeling of helplessness.

" _Come on, guys_." Sonic thought. " _Don't let Eggman win! I know you can beat him!_ "

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Innocence Lost. Next time on _Sonic Forces!_ In the next chapter, we'll visit Cream, Marine, and Charmy and see how the horrors of war can affect even the youngest of us.**


	5. Chapter 5: Innocence Lost!

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Sonic Forces!_ Knuckles and Silver reconcile their feelings over Sonic's death when Eggman's robots broke into the city. Though they managed to repel the attack, they did suffer heavy casualties. Now our "Six Months of Pain" series takes us to the infirmary, run by young Cream the Rabbit. **

Three months have passed and 60% of the world had fallen under Eggman's control. After the world saw live footage of Chaos flooding the country of Spagonia in a twisted replay of the Station Square flooding, Chun-nan and Adabat were the next countries to pledge their surrender to Eggman. The only countries now leading the fight against Eggman were the United Federation, the country of Apotos, and the kingdom of Soleanna.

Recently, the Resistance had suffered another attack on the city of Sunset Heights. They managed to turn back Eggman's robots, but not without casualties. Thankfully, they had an infirmary on hand to tend to the wounded. And running the infirmary was none other than Cream the Rabbit. Cream's dislike of violence meant that she couldn't serve on the front lines like the others, but she still wanted to aid the war effort somehow. So she and her pet Chao, Cheese, along with Cheese's friend Chocola, a few other Chao, and some of the other noncombatants decided to set up an infirmary for the wounded.

One would rightly ask how someone as young as Cream would be able to run an infirmary., but Cream had always wanted to become a nurse when she grew up and her mother had been teaching her First Aid. She figured she could put those skills to use for the Resistance. That said, it hasn't been easy. And it's been even harder since Sonic's death. The young rabbit tried her best to keep everyone's spirits up, but to some, it felt like she's was trying to keep _her own_ spirits up.

Cream and Marine had just finished patching up some of the soldiers when a robot entered the room. The robot had a black, yellow, and grey color scheme, blue eyes with red rims, and has several sharp fin-like objects attached to his arms, legs and head. This was Gemerl, or Gem as he was sometimes called. He was last of the Gizoids, a race of robots with the ability to copy the powers of others that were created by the long forgotten Nocturnus Clan.

Originally, his name was Emerl, but after he was destroyed, he was rebuilt by Eggman to be used in another scheme for world domination. Thankfully, he was freed from Eggman's control and reprogrammed by Tails to be the loving, caring robot he was meant to be. Since then, he has lived with Cream, becoming somewhat of a big brother to her.

"G'day, Gemerl." Marine greeted. Cream remained uncharacteristically silent, however. "You blokes did great defending the city!"

Hey Marine." Gemerl greeted. "How's everything here?" At that, Marine's usual chipper smile turned into a frown and she pulled Gemerl to the side. "We... lost a few of them." Marine whispered solemnly. "They didn't make it. Cream took it badly."

"Oh God..." Gemerl said. This wasn't good. Cream was likely under a lot of stress, and what he had to tell her would most likely add to it. He looked to Cream, who was busy putting up supplies on the shelf. "Hey Marine," Gemerl said, "I'd like to talk to Cream alone if you don't mind."

"Say no more, mate." Marine replied as she exited the room, leaving Gemerl and Cream alone. Gemerl walked towards Cream. "Hey Cream."' Gemerl greeted.

"Hey Gemerl." Cream replied, finally turning to look at him. "Sorry for not speaking earlier. I've been busy."

"Well, with everything that's been happening, I'd be surprised if you weren't busy." Gemerl said. He could tell something was wrong. Cream's tone sounded off, as if she was forcing herself to be chipper. "Are you okay, Cream?" Gemerl asked.

"I'm fine." Cream replied.

"You don't sound fine." Gemerl remarked.

"Seriously, I'm okay, Gem." Cream replied.

"Cream..." Gemerl said. "You're good at a lot of things. Lying isn't one of them. And lying to yourself is unhealthy." The Gizoid placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Cream. You can talk to me." Cream fell silent, her little hands were shaking furiously and her lips were trembling. After a brief moment, she suddenly buried her face in Gemerl's metallic chest, bawling uncontrollably. It was as if all the pent-up sorrow she had was being released in a flood of tears.

All Gemerl could do was wrap his arms around Cream in a comforting hug. Thankfully, he was waterproof. After a full two minutes of crying, Cream finally calmed down. "Feel better?" Gemerl asked.

"Yes, thank you." she replied, sniffling. Cream sat on the chair. "It's just been so hard." she said. "I've always wanted to be a nurse, to help people in need. But I never thought I'd be doing it under these circumstances."

"I know what you mean." Gemerl replied. "Who could be prepared to fight in a war?"

"If only Mr. Sonic was here." Cream said. "He'd know what to do."

"Yeah. I still can't believe what happened." Gemerl said. "All the times he beat Eggman before, I'd never thought he'd actually... _lose_."

"I remember when I first met Mr. Sonic." Cream said. "My mom was kidnapped by Dr. Eggman. He risked everything to save her even though he just met me. Ever since then, I've always wanted to be as brave and heroic like him." The two remained silent as they reminisced on their encounters with Sonic. Gemerl nervously twiddled his fingers and gave a sigh before finally breaking the silence. "Cream, I-"

"I already know." Cream replied, cutting him off. "I overheard you and Knuckles talking. He wants you to destroy Eggman's weapon factory."

"And you don't want me to go." Gemerl added.

"It's not that I don't _want_ you to go." Cream replied. "It's just... I'm _scared_. I don't want to lose you like we lost Mr. Sonic. I know you _have_ to go. Just... promise me you'll be careful. Promise you'll come back safely." Gemerl pulled Cream into another hug. "You won't. I promise." Gemerl replied. After the hug, Gemerl made this way towards the door.

"Well, I'm off." he said. "Wish me luck." With that, Gemerl walked out the door, leaving Cream alone. But she wasn't alone for long as Marine, alongside Cheese and Chocola, walked into the room soon after. "Hey, uh... Cream." Marine replied. "I heard what happened."

Cream lowered her head and looked as if she was about to cry again. Marine placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about Gemerl, mate." Marine said. "He's a tough bloke. I'm sure he'll be alright."

How do you do it, Marine?" Cream asked, wiping a tear from her eye. "How are you always so optimistic?"

To tell you the truth, mate... I'm bloody terrified." Marine said. "When I came along with Blaze, I thought it'd be just another adventure. I didn't expect to be fighting in a war! But we're here now, and while we can't help out there on the field. The best we can do is keep everyone's spirits up. Look, we've had a rough day. Let's go to the mess hall and get something to eat, okay?"

"Okay." Cream said. As the four of them made their way to the mess hall, Cream couldn't stop worrying about Gemerl. " _Please, Gem. Please be safe_." she thought.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, at Eggman's base...**_

Eggman looked at the map of the world with demented glee. Part of him still couldn't believe this was happening. Sonic was finally out of the way and he could finally accomplish his dream of expanding the Eggman Empire. Week after week, day after day, entire countries were falling to his might! Soon, the entire world would know of his greatness.

But, he still had a problem.

It was this so-called Resistance led by that idiot echidna. They still continued to fight back against him despite him controlling most of the world. They even managed to push back another attack on Sunset Heights. Unbelievable. It seemed there would always be obstacles.

At that moment, Infinite entered the room. The jackal floated towards Eggman. "Something wrong, doctor?" he asked.

"Nothing I can't handle." Eggman replied. "Just some fools who haven't yet realized who the ruler of this world is."

Infinite looked at the map, specifically at South Island. "Perhaps a more... _firmer_ hand is needed." he said. "Why don't I pay a visit to South Island? I look forward to reminding these maggots of the futility of hope."

* * *

 **Next Chapter Recap: The Face of Death! Next time on _Sonic Forces!_ Infinite launches an attack on Sunset Heights and the only thing standing in his way are a group of fresh Resistance recruits. Will they survive this nightmare? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Sonic Forces!_**


	6. Chapter 6: The Face of Death!

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Sonic Forces!_ Cream is disheartened after some of the soldiers succumbed to their injuries from a recent attack on Sunset Heights. Thankfully, Gemerl came along with some encouraging words. Unfortunately for Cream, Gemerl was sent on a mission by Knuckles to destroy Eggman's Arsenal Pyramid. Though afraid for his safety, Cream sent her friend off with well wishes. Now Sunset Heights braces itself for another Eggman attack, unaware of the danger looming over the horizon.**

 **Author's Note: Apologies for the long delay, everyone! The holidays caught up with me and I've been playing my newest obsession, _Super Smash Ultimate._ Then came all the _Kingdom Hearts III_ craze (Yes, I will be novelizing it after I'm finished with this story). Also, this chapter features a character from _Sonic Forces: Prelude to War_ , so it's recommended that you have read Chapter 13 that story to learn more about him. Hope everyone had a Happy New Year!**

Four months have passed since Eggman's hostile takeover. 80% of the world had fallen under Eggman's control. The country of Apotos was utterly decimated when Eggman's forces invaded it. Now only the kingdom of Soleanna and the United Federation stood between Eggman and total domination.

On South Island, things were not looking good for the Resistance. Knuckles had sent Gemerl to destroy Eggman's Arsenal Pyramid, only he never returned and robots continued to pump out of the pyramid. The Resistance soon found itself losing ground as parts of South Island fell under Eggman's control. Villages and towns were being attacked almost daily, and Sunset Heights was quickly becoming the only safe haven. Even worse, there were reports that Eggman's robots were kidnapping Resistance soldiers, dragging them off to God knows where, never to be seen again. That had many on edge. Some refused to leave the city. Membership for the Resistance was at an all-time low.

Speaking of the city, the recent attacks had everyone frightened, wondering when Eggman would strike again. Of course, there was one Resistance soldier who was the most anxious of all: A wolf named Jason . His full name was Jason Griffith Howlitzer, but most just call him Jason. He wasn't a particularly hard fellow to spot, being a wolf with red fur who wore white gloves, blue shoes, and large glasses.

When Eggman first began his takeover of the world, Jason, like everyone else, believed that Sonic would stop him like he always did. But the news of Sonic's demise was a wake-up call for him and the entire world. Everyone quickly realized that Sonic wasn't going to be there to save them. They would have to save themselves. And so, he joined the Resistance. Sacred out of his mind he was, but he couldn't stand by and let others suffer while he did nothing.

Of course, now Jason was beginning to wonder if he had made the right decision. As the days rolled by and Eggman was conquering territories and countries left and right, it was starting to feel less like they were fighting a war and more like they were just delaying the inevitable. Sure, Sunset Heights was still holding strong despite repeated attacks from Eggman, but God knows how long that would last.

Today, he and his squad were on guard duty. One of the members was Victoria, the leader of their group. She was a pink cat who wore a black vest, purple shorts, light brown gloves with black pads on the back of the hands, and matching brown and military-green shoes. She also wore a hi-tech eyepiece on her left eye that allowed her to tell if enemies were approaching as well as help with her aiming. Her weapon of choice was the Void Wispon. She was ferocious in battle and a tough-as-nails leader, but underneath it was a kind heart.

The other member of the squad was Ryan. He was a bird with teal feathers. His attire consisted of goggles, a black shirt decorated with two teal arrows, black fingerless gloves, military pants, and black and red sneakers. His weapon of choice were twin Drill Wispons. He was a laid-back, quiet kind of guy, only speaking when necessary.

Another member was Joker. He was a black wolf whose attire consisted of a black tuxedo and matching black pants and shoes, red gloves, and a white domino mask. While Joker used a White Wispon, his real weapon of choice were twin knives and razor-sharp playing cards that he threw at enemies. Like his namesake, he was the jokester of the group, often keeping the others' spirits up with lighthearted banter.

And finally there was Leonardo "Leo" Lionheart, Jason's best friend since childhood. Both of them grew up in Sunset Heights, attended the same school, and they both admired Sonic the Hedgehog. Leo was admittedly a fraidy-cat, but after saving the town from Eggman's first assault, an act that earned him quite a bit of notoriety, he resolved to be braver. Ever since then, he, Jason, and the squad served as the first line of defense against threats to the city.

For the most part, things have been pretty quiet. Of course, this felt more like the calm before the storm rather than any peace. Jason was sitting on a bench with notebook in hand. Sketching was his favorite pastime. Many have commented that his drawings were so good, he could make a fortune off of them. At ended up earning him the nickname "Picasso". Nowadays, he mainly sketched just to take his mind off of everything. He was deep into his drawings when Leo appeared and sat right next to him.

"Hey there, Jason." Leo said.

"Hey, Leo." Jason replied, "How's everything at the front gates?"

"Nice and quiet." Leo said. "Though how long it stays that way is up in the air."

"Ain't that the truth." Jason said. Leo looked over to see what Jason was sketching. It was a sketch of Sunset Heights' park. "Another great sketch, man." Leo said.

"Thanks." Jason replied. "I like to remind myself of how beautiful the city was before Eggman came along."

"I hear that." Leo said. "Still, hard to believe it all, huh? Remember when we were just two kids growing up on stories of the famous Sonic the Hedgehog? Now look at us. Fighting in a war. How crazy is _that?_ "

"Extremely." Jason replied. Having finished his sketch, Jason put down his notebook and sighed. "Hey, Leo? I got a question." Jason said.

What is it?" Leo asked.

"What happened to you?" Jason asked. "You've really changed a lot. I remember back when we first met. You were being chased by Spike and his gang and I jumped in to save you. Course, all I did was took a beating meant for you." he chuckled. "Now you're leading our squad... How do you do it? Aren't you scared?"

Leo paused for a moment, his eyes turning downward to face the ground. "Tell you the truth, Jason... I _am_ scared." he finally said. "You know when I shot down Eggman's ship?"

"How could I forget?" Jason said. "I didn't think it was you until you told me yourself."

"Yeah, everyone thinks I was so brave," Leo said, "but I wasn't brave, I was pumped full of adrenaline and scared out of my mind! I mean, so many things could've gone wrong! Eggman could've blown up the cannon, the cannon could've backfired, the ship could've crashed into the city and killed a lot of people! All I'm trying to say is... It's not that I'm not afraid. I'm terrified. But even though I'm scared, I still want to help somehow. You understand?"

"I guess so..." Jason replied pensively. Before the two friends could continue their conversation, a thunderous explosion rocked the city, knocking the two friends flat on their rear ends. "What the heck was that?!" Jason asked. His answer came in the form of dark portals opening up all over the city, unleashing hordes of Eggman's robots that descended into the city. Among the robot horde were Death Egg Robots. The sentinels went to work destroying the city.

"It's an all out invasion!" Leo exclaimed. "What happened?! I thought Wave's new alarm system would warn us of an attack!" At that moment, Leo and Jason's communicators began beeping.

" _Guys, it's Victoria!_ " Victoria shouted. " _Eggman's robots broke through the front gates! We're trying to keep them back, but we could use some extra muscle. Get over here, now!_ "

"You heard her!" Leo said. "They're in trouble! Let's go!" Leo grabbed his White Wispon and ran towards the gates. Jason, meanwhile, hesitated. This was his first real fight since joining the group. A thunderstorm of questions swirled about his mind. Would he make it out alive? Would he be of any help? Uncertainty and anxiety gripped him, but regardless, he decided to help out however he could.

Sighing to himself, Jason grabbed his White Wispon and headed into battle.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

"Hold the line, everyone!" Victoria shouted as she and the group fought off the invading Egg Pawns. "Don't let a single one get through!" Victoria fired a shot from her Void Wispon, creating a black hole that swallowed up a group of Egg Pawns, destroying them instantly.

Ryan used his Drill Wispon and dove underground, tunneling beneath the earth and rising to drill through Egg Pawns like a shark moving through water. Joker leapt into the fray, hacking apart the robots with his twin knives. Those he didn't attack with his knives were felled by his razor-sharp cards.

Jason and Leo arrived on the scene and immediately began firing on the robots with their White Wispons. It seemed that the group was holding their own against the mechanical invaders. But something strange happened. The remaining robots... retreated?" They began backing away as if they sensed something approaching. "Okay, they're retreating." Joker said. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

His answer came when the sky above them began cracking, quickly shattering like a window pane. "I'm guessing that's a bad thing." Victoria said. What emerged from the portal struck fear in everyone's hearts. The creature had black fur and wore matching black gloves and boots. It had a bushy tail like a fox and wore a fox-shaped mask that concealed its face save for a glowing left eye that had a gold pupil and red sclera. However, the dreadlocks made it hard to pin down exactly what species it was. The creature's most noticeable feature was the ruby gemstone on its chest. It was surrounded in an aura of dark crimson flames and red glitching particles. It was Infinite.

"Well, well, well." Infinite sneered, folding his arms across his chest. "Look what we have here: Some pathetic insects doing their best to look brave."

"Oh hell..." Victoria trailed off, completely in shock.

"It's the guy that killed Sonic!" Leo exclaimed. Jason and Ryan looked on in absolute fear.

"Guys? Anyone got a plan?" Joker asked nervously.

"We'll be annihilated." Victoria muttered. "Everyone, fall back!" The group began to run towards the city, but their path was quickly obstructed by a line of explosions. "Going somewhere?" Infinite taunted.

" _Now_ what?" Jason asked.

"No other choice. We stand and fight!" Victoria declared.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Joker shouted. "Sonic couldn't stop this guy! What makes you think we can?!"

"We can at least stall him." Victoria said.

"Bold words." Infinite said as he descended to the ground. "I'd love to see you try." Victoria growled and fired a black hole from her Void Wispon. Infinite chuckled and outstretched both hands, catching the black hole in between them. Grunting with exertion, Infinite compressed the black hole into a smaller sphere.

"What the hell?!" Victoria shouted.

"Here, catch!" Infinite yelled as he threw the condensed black hole at the group. Most of them got out of the way in time. Victoria wasn't so fortunate, however. She tried to get away, but was caught and sucked into the black hole, killing her instantly.

" ** _Victoria!_** " Joker screamed. "Why you...!" Joker and Ryan charged at Infinite, who gave a smug chuckle in return. Ryan lashed out at Infinite with his twin Drill Wispons, but the masked demon dodged all of his strikes with inhuman speed, eventually grabbing the drills and crushing them before kicking Ryan to the ground.

Infinite drew his sword, a red scimitar, and prepared to strike him down. But Joker leapt in and blocked the sword with his knives. Joker went on the offensive, furiously slashing at Infinite with his knives. Infinite blocked each attack with his sword. Joker jumped back and threw a few cards at Infinite, but the villain sank into a portal to avoid the cards.

Joker frantically looked around for his opponent, only to suddenly feel a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down to see himself impaled by Infinite's blade. "Pathetic." Infinite contemptuously remarked as he pulled his blade out of Joker, the wolf's lifeless body falling to the ground. He then turned to Leo and Jason. Infinite outstretched his hand and gathered a ball of crimson energy. "All too easy." he said.

Before he could fire, however, he was forced to raise an energy barrier to defend against an incoming rocket. It was from a Resistance soldier wielding a Rocket Wispon. He was soon joined by other Resistance soldiers, having been drawn by the sound of the battle. The soldiers surrounded Infinite and opened fire on him with their weapons. Infinite rose into the air, arms folded and still protected by his barrier.

Jason stared at the whole scene with shock and horror. He was wholly unprepared for what he witnessed this day. He was brought out of his stupor by the sound of Leo's voice. "Jason, listen to me." he said. "There's not much time. You have to go. Warn anyone you can. Tell them to get help!"

"B-but what about you?" Jason fearfully asked.

"Me and the others will try to buy you some time, but you have to go now!" Leo said as he ran off.

"Leo, no!" Jason cried. Leo joined the group of soldiers as they fired on Infinite. Ryan, having found a spare White Wispon, joined in as well. Despite being surrounded, Infinite was still undaunted. "Fools..." he hissed. "There is no reason to resist. Your savior, or martyr for that matter, is dead."

Infinite's gemstone began glowing with crimson energy. Seeing what was about to happen, the soldiers tried to run away, but it was too late. Infinite unleashed a massive explosion of crimson energy that engulfed nearly every soldier. The shockwave was enough to send Jason flying back.

When the dust settled, Jason crawled out of some debris and looked to see a scene of utter horror. the entire area was reduced to a crater. All of the soldiers were dead. Worse of all, his best friend, Leo, was lying dead, covered in horrific burns. "Leo!" Jason ran to his fallen friend and tried desperately to wake him. "C'mon, Leo! Please wake up!" But Leo wouldn't move. He didn't even seem to be breathing. "You have to wake up! ** _You can't be dead!_** " Tears were streaming down the young wolf's eyes.

He looked up and saw Infinite still floating above them. His back was turned. This was his chance. Seeing a White Wispon on the ground, he ran to grab it. But the moment he turned around... Infinite was right in front of him, his hateful yellow eye glaring daggers into the young wolf's heart. Jason froze in place, feeling less like a wolf and more a deer in headlights. He could feel the malicious aura emanating from him. It was overwhelming.

"Are you really going to shoot me boy?" he asked mockingly. "You've only got one shot. Better make it count." Infinite was right in front of him. Jason's finger was on the trigger. This was the perfect chance. He could end Infinite and avenge his friends! But yet... he couldn't do it. His finger wouldn't move. His mind raced as it recalled the horrific deaths of his friends, each moment played out like a movie.

Infinite chuckled as he rose into the air. "I can taste your terror, child." he said. "All that anxiety and doubt. It's delicious." He pointed at Jason and fired a blast from his finger, hitting the ground in front of Jason and knocking him on his rear. "But tell you what, I'm feeling a bit generous." Infinite said. "Give in to your fear. Flee screaming and I'll let you live _._ " Jason remained where he was, trembling profusely.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Infinite outstretched his hand and gathered energy. "I don't hear _screaming!_ " Jason ran from Infinite as fast as his legs could carry him, screaming hysterically all the while. Infinite's mocking, triumphant laughter echoed in his ears. He didn't know or care where he was going as long as it was away from there. He didn't get far, however, as he was soon met by a trio of sword-wielding Egg Fighters.

The robots cornered him and prepared to strike when suddenly Knuckles appeared. In one swift motion, he destroyed the robots with powerful punches. Once they were destroyed, he turned to Jason. "What are you doing here, kid?!" Knuckles asked. "It's dangerous to be out here by yourself!" Jason sat there, still in shock from everything that happened.

"Kid?" Knuckles asked. Jason's lip trembled as he struggled to form words. Eventually, he found his voice. "INFINITE!" he shouted as he fell in Knuckles' arms. "He's here! He's in the city! He killed my friends! They're all dead! They're all dead... They're all... They're..." Exhausted from the whole ordeal and still overwhelmed by the deaths of his comrades, Jason collapsed on the ground.

"Oh God, this is bad." Knuckles said. "I have to warn the others. But first, let's get you to the infirmary."

* * *

 _ **Later that day...**_

A groan escaped Jason's lips as consciousness gradually returned to him. The wolf slowly awoke to find himself in a hospital bed of sorts. "Good, you're awake." Jason looked to see Knuckles standing next to him. "How are you feeling?" he asked. "You were out for a while now. Nurses said you had some injuries, but nothing too serious."

"I'm okay, I guess." Jason replied tentatively. "Where are we?"

"Resistance HQ. More specifically, the infirmary." Knuckles said. "I brought you here after you passed out." Jason remained silent for a while, but then his eyes widened as he realized something. "My friends! What happened to them?! Are they-?!"

Knuckles shook his head. "I'm sorry. They're all dead. You're the only survivor." Jason lowered his head, tears rushing down his cheeks. "So it's wasn't a dream." he said, voice trembling. "They're all gone. It's my fault. I couldn't save them!" Knuckles walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry we couldn't save your friends in time." Knuckles said. "But you're a brave kid, you know that? You managed to survive and you made it here in one piece. The Resistance could use someone like you." Jason remained silent, not looking at Knuckles. "Look, I won't force you and I'm sure you need your rest. It's just... something to think about."

With that, Knuckles left the room, leaving Jason alone with his thoughts.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: A Desperate Mission! Next time on _Sonic Forces!_ Tragedy strikes as the kingdom of Soleanna is destroyed by a mysterious weapon. Overseeing the events, GUN Commander Abraham Tower sends Rouge on a mission to discover what weapon Eggman is using. Will she succeed? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Sonic Forces!_**

 **Author's Note: Yes, I named the Avatar after Jason Griffith. Sue me!**


	7. Chapter 7: A Perilous Mission!

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Sonic Forces!_ Eggman launched another assault on the city of Sunset Heights, this time led by the villainous Infinite. A group of Resistance soldiers attempted to fight him, but were effortlessly wiped out, leaving only one survivor. While the city is pummeled by Eggman's army, a new tragedy sends shockwaves through the world. **

**Author's Note: Apologies for the delay, again. Had a hard time figuring out how I wanted this chapter to go. Remember when I said I'd do a novelization of _Kingdom Hearts III_ after this story? Well, I'm postponing it for now. With the news that the game will have story DLC as well as a manga adaptation, I figure it'd be better if I wait so I won't have to constantly update the story like I did my _Sonic Mania_ novelization. My next story will likely be _Devil May Cry 5._ Seriously, that game is badass.**

 **Also, today's my birthday!**

Everyone thought Sonic's death was the shot heard round the world. So it goes without saying that no one was prepared for what happened today.

It had been five months since Eggman's takeover of the world began. The kingdom of Soleanna was on high alert ever since Eggman declared that it would be his next target. Everyone was on edge and ready for the next big attack. But instead of an army of robots, what they got was much worse. A bright light emerged in the skies above and from the sky, a beam of light came crashing down onto the capital city of Soleanna. The carnage was _abominable_. The city was obliterated! Casualties numbered in the tens of thousands! Thankfully, Princess Elise III was shepherded away to safety.

And like a mad artist admiring his twisted handiwork, Eggman announced that there would be more orbital bombardments unless Soleanna surrendered. Faced with such overwhelming firepower, the kingdom surrendered without a fight. Now only the United Federation stood between Eggman and total domination.

The entire world was absolutely horrified by the destruction of Soleanna. GUN did its best to send relief and aid to the survivors. The tragedy sent waves of fear and panic throughout the world. The thought of Eggman having a gun pointed at the world and ready to fire at any moment terrified everyone. In the United Federation, talks of surrender were rampant.

And that brings us to GUN headquarters. Rouge the Bat was on her way to Commander Tower's office. After recovering from an attack led by Shadow months ago, Rouge had been on a personal mission trying to find Shadow and bring him back, hoping to free him from whatever mind control Eggman had over him. Of course, finding him was easier said than done. Every time there was a sighting of him, he managed to slip away before she could capture him. It was maddening.

She had also been attempting to find Omega. His last known position was in Sunset Heights, but the place had become such a warzone that searching for him was next to impossible, so instead she decided to help the Resistance however she could, primarily acting as the liaison between them and GUN.

Rouge entered the office and saw Commander Tower sitting at his desk. The commander was still sporting wounds from the attack. "Ah, Rouge, glad you made it." Tower said. "Come in." Rouge sat down on the chair in front of the desk. "You wanted to see me, sir?" she asked.

"Yes." Tower replied. "I have an important mission for you. But first, I wanna warn you: this is most likely going to be your most dangerous mission yet."

"You say that about every mission I go on." Rouge replied, attempting to lighten the mood. It was getting harder and harder to do that these days. "What's the mission?"

"Based on what we know, it seems Eggman has developed some new orbital weapon." Tower began. He pressed a button underneath his desk and a video feed displaying outer space appeared. "Our satellites have been monitoring Earth's orbit, but we haven't found anything. We believe it may be using a cloaking device of some kind."

"And let me guess, you want the world's greatest spy to head up there and check it out, right?" Rouge asked.

"More or less." Tower replied. "But this is strictly recon. No heroics. We can't afford to lose more people."

"Right." Rouge said, looking downward.

"I know what you're thinking, Rouge, and I'm sorry, the answer is no." Tower said. "We're undermanned as it is and I need every able-bodied soldier available in case Eggman tries to invade the United Federation."

"But they're my friends!" Rouge protested. "We can't just abandon them! Can't we spare a few soldiers to help them?

"We can't spare anyone." Tower firmly replied. "I need all the manpower I can get. I'm sorry, but for the time being, your friends are on their own." Rouge wanted to protest further, but she knew that nothing could change Tower's mind once he made a decision. Instead, she just gave a defeated sigh.

"Figures." came Rouge's dejected reply. With that, she got up and walked out of the room.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, at Resistance HQ...**_

" _What do you mean we're on our own?!_ " Knuckles asked. He had been on the phone with Rouge, begging her to convince GUN to send some troops to South Island. Needless to say, he hadn't been making any progress. "You don't get how dire the situation is here! We're losing more ground than we're gaining! Attacks on the city are on an almost daily basis! It's all we can do to keep Sunset Heights intact!"

" _I_ do _understand._ " Rouge replied. " _And I want to help, I really do. But Tower wouldn't budge. My hands are tied. Besides, I'm on a mission of my own. Tower wants me to find out what weapon Eggman used to nuke Soleanna. GUN thinks it might be some orbital station. I'm sorry, Knux. I wish I could do more to help._ "

"I know." Knuckles replied sadly. "Just... be careful."

"You too." Rouge replied as she hung up. Knuckles roared and punched the wall. "Damn it!" he yelled. Before he could fully vent his anger, he looked out the corner of his eye to see Jason standing at the door. Ever since the last attack on Sunset Heights, Jason chose to stay out of the action and helped organize some of the weapons and supplies. He was still haunted by the deaths of his squadmates. Until today, that is.

"Hey, Jason." Knuckles said as he calmed down. "What are you doing here?"

"I want to get back on the field." Jason replied. "I want to do more to help." Knuckles stared at Jason for a moment, raising a quizzical eyebrow. "Well, I appreciate the sentiment." Knuckles said. "But why the change of heart?"

"Seeing a kingdom wiped off the face of the earth can change a man's perspective." Jason replied. "I can't sit by and do nothing while innocent people get killed. I've spent the last few weeks doing nothing but feel sorry for myself. That's not what I signed up to do. And that's... not what my friends would want." Knuckles remained silent, genuinely touched by Jason's earnesty and resolve. "Well, if you want to be on the field, you'll have to go through training first." Knuckles said.

"Fine with me." Jason said.

Knuckles smiled and grabbed Jason's hand. "Well then, let's get to work." he said.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: A New Hope! Next time on _Sonic Forces!_ Jason formally joins the Resistance as its morale hits an all-time low. But just as all hope seems lost, Rouge the Bat makes an earthshaking discovery that can help tip the scales back in the Resistance's favor. Find out what happens on the next exciting chapter of _Sonic Forces!_**


	8. Chapter 8: Renewed Hope!

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Sonic Forces!_ The world watched in horror as the capital city of Soleanna was utterly obliterated by Eggman's newest weapon. In the wake of the devastation, Commander Abraham Tower sends Rouge the Bat on a mission to find out what weapon Eggman used to destroy Soleanna. Now, as Eggman cements his grip on the world, our story takes us to South Island and the Resistance, where morale is at a critical low.**

 **Author's Note: And with this chapter, the Six Months of Pain come to an end. Now the real story begins. Also,someone asked this in a review and I guess I should've mentioned it, but yes, Elise did survive the destruction of Soleanna.**

Six months. Six long, miserable months. That's how long it's been since Eggman started his hostile takeover. Though to everyone under his iron-fisted rule, it felt more like six years. The day many dreaded had finally arrived: Eggman had invaded the United Federation. The attack was spearheaded by Eggman's masked warrior, Infinite. GUN put up a valiant struggle, but Infinite's might and the overwhelming force of Eggman's machines made that struggle a futile one. The President was escorted to safety, but it hardly mattered. The United Federation had fallen. 99% of the world had fallen under Eggman's control.

And what of the other 1% you ask? Well, that would be South Island, ground zero for the Resistance. Though there wasn't much of a resistance to put up. Most of South Island was already under Eggman's control. The only safe haven was Sunset Heights, and it was becoming less and less safe by the day. The battle had long become a war of attrition, and the Resistance was on the losing side.

Today, the Resistance had once again repelled an attack on the city. Though the battle was won, it was not without heavy casualties. Vector was leading the repairs to the city when he saw some soldiers throwing their Wispons to the ground. "Guys? What's wrong?" the crocodile asked.

"We're packing it in, Vector." one of the Resistance soldiers said. "It's over. The Resistance is finished."

"Hey now, what kind of talk is that?!" Vector asked. "We managed to push them back, didn't we?"

"Yeah, today." another soldier replied. "But they'll be back tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that. Face it, Vector, it's hopeless. Eggman's forces are growing stronger by the day while we're barely holding on. Face it, there's nothing left to fight for."

"But we can't just give up now!" Vector protested. "If we do that, then Eggman wins for sure!" The soldiers lowered their heads and began walking away from Vector. "Look Vector, I get what you're trying to do." a soldier said. "But it's time to face the facts. There's only one person who could stand up to Eggman... and he's dead. Eggman's already won. Anyone saying otherwise is just fooling themselves." With that, the soldiers all left the area, leaving behind a thoroughly disheartened Vector.

* * *

 _ **Later, at Resistance HQ...**_

" _Everyone, we need your help!_ " Knuckles' voice echoed. It was actually a recorded message that was broadcast all through the radio in hopes of rallying more troops to the Resistance. But with the growing numbers of Resistance soldiers defecting or not joining, it was quickly becoming empty noise. " _Eggman thinks he has us beat, but he's wrong! If we band together, we can show Eggman that he can't mess with our world! That's why I'm asking you to come join the Resistance! Come join the fight to take back our planet! Age or experience doesn't matter! Even if you can't fight, there are other ways you can help! Please, help us beat Eggman!_ "

"With so few people joining the Resistance, it's a wonder why we even have that anymore." Silver said to himself. Amy was working on the computer as usual, Espio was meditating, and Charmy was sting on a chair and playing a game on his handheld, something that became a routine of his to keep his mind off the war.

At that moment, Vector walked into the room, scratching his head in frustration. "Hey, Vec." Amy greeted. "How's everything outside?"

Bad, how do you expect?" came Vector's irritated reply. "Eggman's army is unstoppable!" he shouted. "Without Sonic, the people are losing hope and giving into despair."

"Despair is a luxury we don't have." Silver stated.

"I still dream that Sonic is with us." Amy replied, placing a hand over her heart. "Do you think he might be...?"

Silver shook his head. "I'm an optimist, but I'm also a realist." he replied bluntly. "Sonic is dead, Amy, and Tails is... AWOL. If we're going to win this war, we'll have to do it without them."

"Silver's right." Espio said, walking over and placing his hands on the table. "We've been hoping and praying for a miracle these past six months, but I'm afraid we'll have to make our own miracle."

"Eggman's army has everyone terrified." Silver said. "If we want the people to rally, we need to show them that strength doesn't just come from numbers."

"Not everyone is terrified." Charmy chimed in. "Isn't a new recruit joining us today?"

"Yes." Silver replied. "A survivor from the city, right?"

"I'm accessing the file now." Amy said as she typed on the computer. The monitor displayed a picture of a wolf with red fur and peach skin for his muzzle and the inner portion of his ears. He had four small tufts of fur protruding from both sides at the back of his head, a short bushy tail, pointed ears that curved upwards, orange eyes and pointed fangs. His attire consisted of thick-rimmed black glasses, white gloves and red sneakers. "His name is Jason Grifith Howlitzer." Amy read. "He's a resident in this city, a straight-A student, and a talented artist and Extreme Gear racer." As the group read over Jason's profile, they were interrupted by the sound of a door opening. They looked to see Knuckles walking into the room.

"Knuckles! What's the sit-rep, Commander?" Silver asked.

"Happy to see you're all still alive." Knuckles replied. "Eggman's forces have chewed through our defenses at Green Hill, and the resistance in the city is reporting that the monster that killed Sonic..." Knuckles stopped himself at the mention of Sonic's name, lowering his head and wiping a tear from his eye. "Sorry, still not used to saying that." he said, turning to face the computer. "Whatever it is has got them running in fear."

That's when someone else entered the room. It was the same red wolf from the profile, only he looked far different than before. Apart from his glasses, his new attire consisted of a military green dome-shaped headset with a black rim and a small black circular-shaped microphone attached to right side of his head. He also wore a three-pouched tan utility belt around his waist, supported by a strap with a black buckle over the abdomen. On his hands, he wore military green gloves with medium-sized cuffs, a black inverted chevron on the front and tan patches on the back. His boots were military green with black tips and tan padded patches on the back. Much like his gloves, the boots were adorned with a black inverted chevron on the front. Suffice to say, he was a lot more combat-ready than before.

"All except for this brave kid, who survived the battle and made it here in one piece." Knuckles went on. "Meet Jason, our newest recruit." Knuckles patted Jason on the back, nearly knocking him over. Jason chuckled nervously. "H-Hey, guys." Jason stuttered out. "First, I gotta say, it's an honor to officially meet you all. I'm not sure how much help I can be, but I'll do my best!"

Charmy flew over to Jason and eyed him, as if sizing him up. "He doesn't look like much." he said.

"Neither do you, Charmy," Knuckles replied, "but I still managed to find a use for your pointy butt!" Charmy giggled in response. Knuckles gave Jason several small capsules, each one containing a different Wispon. "Here, kid, take these. We're depending on you." Knuckles said. Jason placed the capsules in his pouches.

"Okay, let's get going, everybody!" Knuckles shouted. "The world's not going to save itself!" Everyone cheered in agreement and went back to work. Meanwhile, Jason pulled Knuckles aside. "Knuckles, are you sure I'm ready for this?" the young wolf asked.

"What do you mean, Jason?" Knuckles asked. "You wanted to join!"

"I know that." Jason said. "But I've had a month of training at best. I'm starting to wonder if I'm really ready to see some real action."

Knuckles placed a comforting hand on Jason's shoulder. "Look, Jason, I understand you're scared. Believe me, I am too. But we can't give in to fear. Eggman's had his way with our world for far too long. We need to show Eggman that we won't be pushed around! But to do that, we're going to need everyone's help. Even yours. So dig deep and put on your game face! As long as you believe in yourself, there's nothing you can't do!"

As Knuckles walked away, Jason looked down at his hand, which began to shake as memories of that horrific day flooded his mind, the day his friends and teammates were brutally murdered by Eggman's masked monster.

" _Don't give in to fear, huh?_ " he thought. _"Easy for you to say_."

* * *

 _ **At an unknown location...**_

The door opened and a bright light pierced the darkness surrounding Sonic's cell. Metal Sonic hovered across the abyss and landed in front of Sonic's cell. "Metal. Been a while." Sonic greeted. Metal didn't reply, but instead showed a projection of Eggman. " _Sonic, my old friend!_ " Eggman greeted ecstatically. " _How is prison life treating you?_ "

"Terrible. Next stupid question?" Sonic bitterly replied.

"I thought as much." Eggman snickered. "Well, I'm pleased to announce you won't have to worry about that much longer! You see, I just dropped by to tell you I've scheduled your execution. With 99% of the world firmly in my grasp, I don't really see a reason to keep you around anymore."

Sonic closed his eyes and chuckled. "Only 99%?" Sonic asked. "Seems you aren't in control as you thought."

" _If you're referring to your pitiful band of miscreants you call your friends, don't get your hopes up_." Eggman replied. _"Those idiots are struggling just to liberate South Island! They're hardly a threat to me!_ "

Sonic shook his head. "You don't get it, do you?" he asked. "That 'band of miscreants' you're talking about? They're people full of heart and courage! Even if I die, that won't change a thing! They won't give up! They'll keep fighting until their last breath! As long as they're around, you'll never win!"

 _"About to die, and still that trademark confidence_." Eggman remarked. _"Oh, Sonic. Once you're gone, where oh where will I find so worthy an opponent?_ "

"Look under any rock." Sonic snapped.

" _Heh. Defiant to the end, eh?_ " Eggman said. " _Well, Sonic, it's been fun. You were a most formidable adversary, but this was how it was always meant to end. And now you know why I am the best!_ " With that, Eggman's projection vanished, leaving Sonic and Metal Sonic alone.

"Guess you're happy, huh Metal?" Sonic asked. "Once I'm gone, you'll be the only Sonic around. You must be thrilled."

Metal Sonic lowered his head. "Truthfully this is all bittersweet." he began. "This was _not_ how I wanted our rivalry to end. You should've met your fate by _my_ hands! Not the hands of Eggman's newest monster. But I suppose it cannot be helped. Though you will perish, you can take comfort in knowing that even when you're gone, you and your legacy will live on... through me. Farewell, Sonic." Metal Sonic flew away, leaving Sonic alone once more...

...Or so he thought.

Unbeknownst to Sonic, he wasn't truly alone. Someone had been watching the whole conversation from a ventilation shaft. That someone was none other than resident superspy, Rouge the Bat. And she couldn't believe whet she just witnessed. Sonic was alive! He's been alive all this time! How could one guy be so freaking lucky?! After taking q moment to process what she just saw, Rouge immediately began tapping the buttons on her wrist communicator.

She had quite the story for a certain echidna.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Recap: Shuttle Shuffle! Next time on _Sonic Forces!_ The Resistance receives possibly the best news they could ever get: Sonic is still alive and is held captive on the Death Egg! To break him out, Knuckles sends a team of soldiers led by the Chaotix to the Chemical Plant to procure a shuttle. But things go awry when the malevolent Infinite arrives. Will our heroes pull off a successful heist? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Sonic Forces!_**


	9. Chapter 9: Chemical Plant Clash!

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Sonic Forces!_ Jason officially joins the Resistance at a time where morale is at an all-time low. Meanwhile, while spying on Eggman, Rouge makes a groundbreaking discovery. Now our tale takes us back to the Resistance, where Knuckles has some most incredible news. **

**Author's note: Once again, I deeply apologize for keeping you all waiting for so long. I got caught up with all the new games that came out in September like _Astral Chain_ and _Dragon Quest XI S_ (both of which are definitely going on the "Things to Novelize" list) and I was having a rather difficult time wondering how I was going to play this chapter out. I'm going to try to get this story done before the year ends so I can work on my _Kingdom Hearts III_ novelization. **

It had been just one day since Jason officially joined the Resistance. For once, Eggman's forces weren't attacking the city. That gave the Resistance some much needed breathing room to rebuild and fortify the city in case he strikes again. Amy, Jason, Silver, Gold, Blaze and the Chaotix were in the meeting room discussing their next move when suddenly, Knuckles burst into the room. Sweat poured down his brow as he tried to catch his breath. From the look of it, it seemed like he ran right out of the mouth of Hell.

"What's wrong, Knuckles?" Amy asked.

"S... S..." Knuckles attempted to say in between attempts to catch his breath.

"What is it, Knux?" Silver asked.

"S... Son..." the echidna started to say.

"Spit it out, Knux! What is it?" Vector asked, getting irritated.

" _ **SONIC'S ALIVE!**_ " Knuckles shouted. The outburst was met with stunned silence from the rest of the group. "What did you say?" Blaze asked, clearly stunned by the incredulous claim.

"Sonic's alive!" Knuckles repeated, laughing hysterically. "He's actually alive! I don't believe it!" Knuckles' joy was met with lowered heads and somber expressions from the group.

"This isn't funny, Knuckles." Silver replied.

"I'm not joking, guys!" Knuckles said. "Sonic is really alive! I have proof!"

"Please, Knuckles." Amy pleaded. "Don't give us hope."

"Listen to me, guys, I'm serious!" Knuckles protested. "You know Rouge the Bat? She's been spying on Eggman for quite a while now and she sent me a photo. Take a look if you don't believe me!" Seeing as there was no way to dissuade him, Amy activated the computer and began searching for recently uploaded files. Catching sight of a file she didn't recognize, she immediately clicked on it...

...And needless to say, she and the others were wholly unprepared for what they saw next.

The file revealed a picture of a prison cell, and sitting inside it was none other than Sonic the Hedgehog himself. He was handcuffed and still sporting some wounds from his fight with Infinite those 6 months ago, but he was very much alive. Shocked gasps and whispers filled the room as they all stared at the image, unable to believe their own eyes.

"You gotta be kidding me... Sonic's alive!" Vector exclaimed.

"He's alive!" Amy shouted. "I knew it! I just knew it!"

"I don't believe it..." Espio trailed off.

"Neither can I." Blaze added.

"Yeah, we all saw the footage." Silver said. "How's Sonic still alive?"

"Turns out Eggman didn't kill him after all." Knuckles explained. Sonic survived the fight, and he's been locked up on the Death Egg ever since."

"The Death Egg?!" Vector shouted. "That's not good!"

"None of this is good, Vec." Knuckles replied. "That's why it's called war."

Well we need to rescue him!" Amy declared. "Who knows what that monster Eggman's been doing to him!"

"My thoughts exactly!" Knuckles replied. "And I've already got a plan in mind! Rouge told me that the Death Egg is getting supplies from the Chemical Plant. That sounds like the best place to ' _borrow_ ' a shuttle. We'll lead a two-pronged assault. Espio's team and I will launch a full frontal assault on the Orbital Tunnel. That'll serve as a distraction while Vector's group sneaks in to the launch and steals a shuttle."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Espio asked. "I want Sonic back as much as the next guy, but we don't have a lot of manpower right now."

"Don't worry." Knuckles replied. "Eggman barely uses the place other than supplies, so it's not that heavily guarded. And we'll only take a small strike force: Me, Silver, The Chaotix, the Rookie, and a handful of soldiers." He turned to Amy. "Amy, you'll stay here and be Mission Control."

"What about me?" Blaze said.

"You need to stay here, Blaze." Knuckles replied. "If Eggman launches another attack on the city, you need to be here to defend it."

"Oh, alright." Blaze said. "But I still think I should be out there with you."

"Alright, guys, it's time for Operation Shuttle Shuffle!" Knuckles declared with a fist pump, which was met with awkward silence.

"Shuttle Shuffle? _Really?_ " Amy asked, rolling her eyebrows.

"It was the best I could come up with." Knuckles replied sheepishly.

* * *

 _ **Later, at the Chemical Plant...**_

During Eggman's conquest of the world, Eggman has expanded his Chemical Plants to various places in the world. Once such place was an island in the frigid north. However, this place has hardly seen use for anything beyond being a spaceport, evident by the frost covering most of the plant. So the robots guarding the place were caught completely unprepared for what was to happen.

An explosion rocked the plant as Knuckles and Espio's team engaged Eggman's forces. With a handful of soldiers at their side, Espio and Knuckles lead the charge. Espio carved up Egg Pawns with his knives while Knuckles smashed them with his fists. The rest of the team engaged the Egg Pawns with their Wispons. "Espio here." the chameleon said, contacting Silver's team. "Our team is currently engaging the enemy. We should be able to hold them off for now."

Espio ran to the aid of a soldier surrounded by Egg Pawns. Everything seemed to be going smoothly...

...Until a dark portal opened up in the sky.

And from the portal stepped a jackal in a mask with a gemstone embedded in his chest. Both Knuckles and Espio froze in their tracks. They knew exactly who this was. It was Eggman's newest monster, Infinite. Without saying a word, Infinite raised his hand and conjured a ball of crimson energy which he then threw at the ground. The force of the resulting explosion knocked away everyone, friend and foe alike. Espio and Knuckles were the only ones to survive Infinite's attack. The rest of the team weren't so lucky.

"Everyone, the masked one is here." Espio said as he and Knuckles rose to their feet. "The monster that took down Sonic!"

"We'll hold him off as long as we can!" Knuckles shouted. "You guys go on! You have to get that shuttle!"

"Knuckles, this is crazy!" Espio said. "We can't beat this guy!"

"We don't _need_ to beat him." Knuckles replied. "Just stall him until they find a shuttle."

"Assuming we live that long." Espio muttered under his breath. Infinite descended to the ground with his arms folded across his chest. " _This_ is your attack force?" he asked with a sneer. "A few pathetic maggots willing to throw away their lives in a suicide mission? I'm almost insulted."

"Learn to cope." Knuckles said as he and Espio charged at Infinite. The jackal chuckled and teleported away in a flash of crimson static, reappearing to deliver a diving kick to the back of Espio's head. Before Knuckles could react, Infinite sent him flying with a roundhouse kick.

Knuckles quickly regained his footing and fired a Thunder Arrow at Infinite. The jackal outstretched his hand and summoned a wall of crimson cubes to defend against the lightning. Seeing his chance, Knuckles burrowed into the ground and tunneled underneath Infinite. He then erupted from the ground in a mighty uppercut, knocking Infinite into the air.

Infinite landed on his feet and fired a barrage of energy blasts at Knuckles. Knuckles dived underground to avoid the attack, but unfortunately Infinite was ready for him. "Not this time!" Infinite shouted as he threw an energy blast into the ground, causing an explosion that launched Knuckles into the air.

Infinite was about to fire another energy blast at Knuckles, but was forced to dodge a barrage of shuriken stars. The stars exploded upon hitting the ground. Infinite turned in the direction the stars came from, but nothing was there. He was then forced to dodge more explosive shurikens. "Espio... Hiding away like a coward." He sneered.

Infinite looked around, attempting to find Espio. He sensed something approaching behind him and turned to grab it. Espio turned visible in his grasp. "How did you... see me?" he asked, his voice straining under Infinite's vice grip.

"I've got good hearing." came Infinite's smug reply. "Your footsteps were crunching the snow." Infinite summoned his blade, a crimson scimitar, and pointed it at Espio's face. "Now die." Before he could land the killing blow, Infinite heard a fierce yell and saw Knuckles charging towards him. Infinite threw Espio at Knuckles, knocking them both to the ground.

"He's just toying with us." Espio said as he and Knuckles got to their feet.

"I know, but we need to keep him distracted." Knuckles replied. "I just hope Vector's team find that shuttle."

The two stood their ground, ready to fight Infinite once again.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, at the Spaceport...**_

"Guys, we gotta go back!" Jason said in a panic. He and Vector were being carried in a psychic bubble by Silver. "We can't go back!" Silver said. "Our goal is to find a shuttle. Everything hinges on us completing this mission!"

"But they could be in danger!" Jason protested. Vector placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder. "Listen, Rookie." Vector began. "Knuckles and Espio are some of the toughest guys I know. They can handle themselves. The best way we can help them is by completing our mission, so stay sharp! We're off to find a shuttle!" Jason wanted to protest further, but he was still a newcomer. He just nodded in agreement.

The group continued to fly through the plant until they reached the spaceport. "We finally made it guys." Silver said as the gang landed in the spaceport. "There's not a moment to lose, guys!" Vector said. "Let's grab a shuttle and get the hell out of here!" The group ran to the first shuttle they found, but they sadly didn't get very far when something leapt in front of them, kicking up snow and dust. When the dust cleared, the group found themselves face to face with a gigantic robot dog. It was predominantly black in color with red highlights on its armor, most notably its eyes. It was the Egg Cerberus, one of Eggman's creations.

"Must be Eggman's guard dog." Vector said.

"We don't have time for this!" Silver shouted. "Let's trash it and hurry on!" The Cerberus made the first move, opening his mouth and firing a sweeping laser over the area. The gang scrambled to get out of the way. The Cerberus leapt into the air and attempted to crush them under its feet. Silver grabbed a nearby cargo box with his telekinesis and threw it at the Cerberus, knocking it to the ground.

Jason immediately opened fire with his Burst Wispon, unleashing a stream of fire at the robotic canine. Vector followed suite and breathed a stream of fire from his mouth. However, the flames seemed ineffective against it. The Cerberus raised its forelegs and stomped the ground, the shockwave blowing away the flames and knocking Jason and Vector off their feet.

The Cerberus fired its laser again, but Silver jumped in front of them and erected a shield of psychic energy to defend against the beam. "This is getting nowhere!" Silver said. "We need to find a weak spot!" Vector carefully observed the Cerberus and noticed an antenna protruding from the robot's head. "That antenna looks pretty suspicious." Vector said. "I think I have a plan. Silver, keep him occupied!"

"On it!" Silver replied as he flew at the Cerberus, firing bolts of psychic energy at it. The Cerberus responded by firing its laser beam, though it was much difficult to hit a small moving target like Silver.

"Okay, Rookie, listen up!" Vector said. "I'm gonna throw you at that thing and your going to grab its antenna with your Lightning Wispon. If I'm right, the electricity should short out its circuits."

"Are you nuts?!" Jason asked, incredulous. "Do you even know if it'll work?!"

"No, but it's the only chance we got!" Vector replied. "Now, do you trust me?" Jason hesitated for a moment, but quickly nodded in affirmation. Vector grabbed Jason and prepared to toss him at the Cerberus. "Alright, we go on three!" Vector said. "One... Two... Three!" Vector threw the screaming Jason will all his might. In a panic, Jason pulled out his Lightning Wispon and wrapped it around the Cerberus' antenna. The electricity channeled through the antenna like a lightning rod, pumping electricity through the Cerberus. The robot seized as the electricity seared its body before finally falling over. The red parts of its body turning black as it went offline.

"We... We did it." Jason asked, still not believing what just actually happened. "We did it!" he cheered.

"No time to celebrate!" Silver said. "Let's go!" The trio ran to the nearest shuttle...

* * *

Back at the battlefield, Epsio and Knuckles were heavily exhausted from their fight with Infinite. The jackal, meanwhile, didn't even seem to be breaking a sweat. "I'm starting to get bored, aren't you?" he mockingly asked. "Why don't we put an end to this farce?" Infinite outstretched his hand and summoned a ball of crimson energy. Before he could fire, laser blasts were fired upon him, sending him flying back.

"Our ride's here!" Espio exclaimed.

"I knew they could pull it off!" Knuckles said. Espio grabbed Knuckles and used his grappling hook to pull themselves towards the shuttle, which flew off just as Infinite recovered. Seeing his quarry fly away, Infinite tapped the communicator on his mask.

"Doctor, we have a situation."

* * *

 _ **Back at Resistance HQ...**_

"Well, guys, Operation Shuttle Shuffle was a success!" Knuckles declared. Both he and Espio had bandages covering their injuries from their fight with Infinite.

"But we lost quite a bit of soldiers in the process." came Army's somber reply.

"We had no way of knowing Infinite was going to be there." Espio replied. "Having fought him firsthand, I can see why Sonic lost to him. He's clearly a seasoned warrior. Knuckles and I barely escaped with our lives."

"All the more reason we need to rescue Sonic!" Silver said. "We can't let their deaths be in vain!" Before the conversation could continue, a voice was heard from the computer. "Knuckles? Knuckles, can you hear me?" Amy pressed a button on the computer and Rouge's face appeared on the monitor.

"What is it, Rouge?" Knuckles asked.

"I don't have much time, so I'll get right to the point." Rouge began. "Eggman got wind of your little heist and he's moved up Sonic's execution date. They're going to kill him tomorrow!"

"What?! Oh no..." Amy said.

"Then we don't have a moment to lose!" Silver shouted. "We need to rescue Sonic now!"

" _Hold it, Future Boy_." Rouge said. " _One doesn't just waltz into the Death Egg. It's outfitted with a forcefield. Nothing can get in or out. And now that Eggman knows you're coming, he'll be ready for you. I'm going to locate the computer room and try to disable the forcefield. Once it's down, you should be able to get in_."

"Alright, just be careful." Knuckles said as Rouge cut the communication. He then turned to the others in the room. "You heard the lady." he said. "Rest up tonight. Tomorrow, we head to the Death Egg and pull off a jailbreak!"

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: A Reunion of Epic Dimensions! Next time on _Sonic Forces!_ In his search for Sonic, Tails comes to the Sunset Heights to check on things. After a near-fatal encounter with Chaos, Tails is rescued... By Sonic?! Find out what happens on the next exciting chapter of _Sonic Forces!_**


	10. Chapter 10: A Reunion of Epic Dimensions

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on** ** _Sonic Forces!_** **Upon hearing that Sonic was miraculously still alive and imprisoned on the Death Egg, Knuckles and the Resistance carried out a bold assault on the Chemical Plant to procure a shuttle. Despite the unexpected appearance of Infinite and suffering heavy casualties, the plan was a success. Now as the Resistance prepares its raid on the Death Egg, our story takes us to Tails, whose own adventure is about to take an unexpected turn...**

 **Author's Note: I can forgive many of the game's flaws, but Tails' portrayal in this game was an absolute disgrace. So you know I had fun with this chapter. Now that Classic Sonic is here, it's important that you've read _Sonic Mania: The Novelization_ (as well as _Sonic Forces: Prelude to War_ ) or else some of the plot points in this story will fly over your head. Also like in my _Sonic Mania_ story, I recommend reading Classic Sonic's lines in the voice of either Jaleel White (his voice actor from _Sonic SatAM_ ) or Martin Burke (his voice actor from _Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie_ ).**

 **Also, have a Merry Christmas!**

These last six months had been... difficult, to say the least. Ever since the day Eggman took over the world, Tails broke off with the Resistance and went solo. He just couldn't stop blaming himself for what happened to Sonic. " _If I had just been smarter, Sonic would still be here..._ ", he kept telling himself. He also truly believed that Sonic was still alive, that he somehow survived that fight and was held prisoner by Eggman.

His resolve hardened, Tails left the Resistance with the translator to communicate with the Wisps and set off to find Sonic. His journey has been a long and painful one. And unfortunately, it has been a fruitless one as well. He had searched all of Eggman's known hideouts, but ways still no closer to finding Sonic. He was starting to give up hope.

Today, he decided to head back to Sunset Heights to see how things were going. The city had really gone downhill since he left. That's when he came across a startling sight: It was Omega, battered, bruised, and barely functioning. The last time Tails saw Omega was before the war started, so it was quite a shock to see him in such a state of disrepair. Tails could only guess at what caused such injuries. And so, Tails has spent a good three hours attempting to fix Omega.

It... hasn't been going so well.

"Let's see, if I connect these two wires here, then..." Tails yelped as a spark flew out from the two wires, causing him to fall flat on his rear. And Omega did not stir from his spot. He had failed again. "Darn it." Tails grumbled, sitting on a nearby piece of debris. "What's wrong with me?" he asked himself. "I used to be so good at this, I could build a machine blindfolded. I'm supposed to be the smart guy, but I can't even fix a stupid robot! Just like I couldn't save Sonic..."

Tails pulled out a picture of him and Sonic from his toolbox. It was taken during the time they went to the beach. It was a happier time, then. One he would give anything to have back. "Here I am, thinking I can save Sonic when I don't even have the foggiest clue where he is." Tails grumbled. "I'm a joke."

With a defeated sigh, he rose to his feet. "Let's give this another go." he said. He didn't get far when, out the corner of his eye, he saw the sewer lid begin to move. A puddle of water oozed out from under the lid and coalesced into an all-too familiar form: Chaos.

"Chaos?!" Tails shouted, backing away in terror. Chaos was the last person he thought he'd encounter here. " _This is bad!_ " he thought to himself. " _I gotta get out of here! I gotta get help!_ " He turned to run away, but something stopped him. In the back of his mind, he could hear Sonic's voice speaking to him. " _C'mon, Tails._ " the voice said, its tone issuing a challenge. " _You're not gonna let this big drip scare you off, huh?_ "

After a moments hesitation, Tails turned to face Chaos and immediately his mind flashed back to that horrible day, him trapped in the ice and forced to watch Sonic endure the beating of his life. He clenched his fists as anger boiled within him. "It's just like last time." he said, his voice a quiet but furious whisper. "I couldn't do anything to save Sonic. I was forced to run and leave him behind. Well, I'm not running this time! Bring it on, you big drip!"

Chaos responded by lashing out with one of his arms. Tails rolled out of the way towards his toolbox and grabbed a Lightning Wispon. Before Chaos could react, Tails lashed out with the Wispon, the electrified whip coiling around Chaos and electrocuting him. The water being convulsed as the electricity flowed through him, reducing him to puddle.

"Science 101: Water conducts electricity." Tails smugly said, placing his hands on his hips in triumph. "Last time I fought Chaos, I needed Sonic's help. But now I beat him all on my own! I've really come a long way." He let out a wistful sigh. "Wish you were here, Sonic. You would've been proud."

Tails turned back and prepared another attempt to fix Omega. And the moment he did, he felt something grab him by the head, causing Tails to drop his lightning Wispon. It was Chaos, having revitalized himself when Tails wasn't looking. Before the fox cub could react, Chaos' hand formed and orb of water around Tails' head. The fox cub wildly and frantically flailed about as water filled his lungs. Soon his flailing slowed to a crawl and his vision began to blur.

" _Sonic... help... me..._ " Tails thought as consciousness faded from him. It seemed those words would be his final thoughts...

...But then something happened that was nothing short of miraculous.

Out of nowhere, a portal opened up near Chaos. Before the water monster could register what was happening, a bolt of blue lightning shot from the portal and struck Chaos directly in his vulnerable brain. Chaos dissolved into puddles and retreated, dropping Tails on the ground. Tails violently coughed up the water as consciousness returned to him. Through his hazy vision, he could vaguely make out what appeared to be a... Hedgehog?

" _Is... is that..._ Sonic?!" he dared to ask, squinting his eyes to get a better look at him. Though his vision was still a bit hazy, the being in front of him definitely resembled Sonic. Without hesitation, he ran to the hedgehog and embraced him. "Sonic, It is you!" he exclaimed. "I was so worried! I thought you were-!" He cut himself off, however, as he quickly realized that something was clearly wrong here.

For one, Sonic was a bit shorter than he remembered.

He took a step back and what he saw had him raising a few eyebrows. The being in front of him was Sonic alright, but he was much shorter and stockier than usual. "Hey Tails." Sonic spoke, his voice much younger than before. "Nice to see you too. You've gotten a bit taller since I saw you, though. You had a growth spurt or something?"

Tails continued to stare at Sonic, blinking a few times. But then his face lit up as recognition set in. "Hey, you're the Sonic from the past, aren't you?" he asked. That caused Sonic to tilt his head, giving Tails a confused look. "The past?" Sonic asked. "We just saw each other a few minutes ago."

"What do you mean?" Tails asked. "Last time we saw each other ways when we fought the Time Eater."

"The what now?" Sonic asked flatly. Tails turned to the side and placed a hand on his chin to think. " _Could restoring the timeline have wiped his memory of what happened?_ " he thought. " _No, that's impossible. Sonic and I still remember what happened. Unless_..." he turned to Sonic. "Could you hold still for a second?" He grabbed his Miles Electric and held it up to Sonic, looking at the readings on the monitor.

"Hmm, your vitals are like Sonic's, but different." Tails noted. "The only reason for that would be... Tell me, how did you get here?"

"Eggman found some weird gemstone called the Phantom Ruby." Sonic replied "It had the power to manipulate reality and he wanted to use its power for another crazy world domination scheme. I managed to stop him, but I somehow ended up here."

"A reality-warping gemstone... That confirms it." Tails said. "You're a Sonic from a parallel dimension! I read the theories, but never thought it was true. It seems whatever power Eggman is using is breaking down the barriers between dimensions. That's how you got here."

"Another dimension, huh?" Sonic asked. "Guess that explains why I don't recognize this place." Sonic took a look at the unfamiliar surroundings. "By the way, where am I?"

"This is Sunset Heights... or what's left of it." Tails replied sadly.

"Jeez, what happened here?" Sonic asked.

" _Eggman_ happened." Tails said. "In six months, Eggman finally managed to take over the world. A small resistance force led by Knuckles is the only opposition to him, but... things have been rough."

Sonic stopped to process everything, but then a horrifying thought came to him. "If Eggman managed to take over their world, than what happened to the Sonic of this dimension?" Tails lowered his head in response, tears starting to stream down his cheeks. The memories of that horrid day flooded his mind.

"Oh, hell..." Sonic trailed off, closing his eyes in silent grief. Tails' reaction told him all he needed to know.

"He was killed... by a monster named Infinite." Tails replied, his voice cracking. "And it's all my fault! I ways there, but I couldn't save him! I watched him die and I couldn't stop it! And because of me, he's-!" Tails was cut short by a punch from Sonic that knocked him to the ground. Nursing his offended cheek, Tails looked up at Sonic, caught off guard by the action.

"Maybe I am in another dimension." Sonic said sternly. "Because I don't remember the Tails in my dimension being such a crybaby. The Tails in my world was fearless. His big brain saved my life more times than I can count. You remember what I told you when we first met? When life get tough..."

"...You keep on running." Tails finished.

"Right." Sonic said. "Now, I don't fully know what happened here. But what happened doesn't matter. It's what happens next that matters. So, you gonna keep beating yourself up about the past? Or are you gonna run to a better future?" He outstretched his hand to Tails. Tails stared at Sonic for a moment, then he smiled and took Sonic's hand, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Thanks, Sonic." Tails said. "I needed to hear that. It's great to see you. Heck, it's great to see _any_ Sonic!"

"Well, except Metal Sonic." Sonic added. Tails blinked in surprise, then the two burst out laughing. The laughter was cut short by the sound of beeping coming from the Miles Electric. Tails walked over and picked it up. "What is it, Tails?" Sonic asked.

"Scans picking up multiple readings not too far from here." Tails replied. "It seems they're all gathered at the park. One of the readings is stronger than the others, though. What could that mean?"

"Well I say let's go check it out!" Sonic said. "C'mon, Tails! Let's do it, to it!" With that, Sonic sped off.

"Haven't heard that phrase in years." Tails said. He turned to see the still-damaged Omega. "I'll come back to fix you, buddy, I promise." he said as he flew off after Sonic.

Sonic reached the park and hid in an alley. From his hiding place, he saw Eggman in his Egg-Mobile, his robots, a group of Resistance soldiers on their knees in front of him. But the one that stood out the most was the being next to Eggman. It was a strange creature with black fur and wore matching black gloves and boots. It had a bushy tail like a fox and wore a fox-shaped mask that concealed its face save for a glowing left eye that had a gold pupil and red sclera. However, the dreadlocks made it hard to pin down exactly what species it was. The creature's most noticeable feature was the ruby gemstone on its chest. It was surrounded in an aura of dark crimson flames and red glitching particles.

"Eggman threatening innocent people. Some things never change." Sonic said. "Time to scramble some Eggman!" Sonic was about to rush off to face Eggman when he felt something grab his hand. Sonic turned to see Tails behind him. But what unsettled Sonic was the look of absolute fear on the fox's face. His hands were trembling and sway was pouring down his face like waterfalls.

"Tails? Tails, what's wrong?" Sonic asked, concerned.

"It's him..." Tails said, pointing at the masked creature. His voice was a fearful whisper. "It's the monster that killed Sonic."

"Infinite, status report." Eggman commanded.

"We captured some Resistance fighters, but we've yet to locate their base." Infinite replied. "And these maggots won't talk."

"Well, forget it then. I have another task for you." Eggman said. "I need you to head back to the old lab in Mystic Jungle and make sure all the Phantom Ruby prototypes are destroyed. I'll head back to our base and check on our project."

"Understood." Infinite replied. Eggman began to fly away. Tails snapped out of his trance and threw a small tracer on his Egg-Mobile. When Eggman flew off, one of the Egg Pawns walked towards Infinite. "Your orders, sir?" the robot asked. Infinite looked at the soldiers, who were all cowering in terror. "Execute them." he coldly ordered as he walked through a portal. The Egg Pawns readied their weapons and prepared to fire. The soldiers panicked and covered their eyes as they realized their deaths were upon them.

"Not so fast!" Sonic shouted as he curled into a ball and performed a Spin Dash, smashing through the robots with ease. The soldiers stared in awe at their savior. It was Sonic, but different.

"Sonic? You're alive?!" One soldier asked. "What happened to you?"

"Long story." Sonic replied. "You guys okay?"

"Yeah, thanks to you." another soldier said. "You saved us."

Tails ran to Sonic's side. "C'mon, Sonic! With that tracer I put on Eggman, we'll be able to follow him anywhere!" Tails said as he input a command on his wristwatch, summoning the _Tornado 3_ , or the _Cyclone_ as it was commonly called. "Nice plane, Tails!" Sonic exclaimed.

"Thanks." Tails said as he and Sonic hopped in the plane.

"What can we do to help?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Just send a message for me." Sonic replied.

"What message?" the soldier asked.

"Sonic lives." With that the _Cyclone_ flew off into the sky like a blue ray of hope.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Jailbreak! Next time on _Sonic Forces!_ Knuckles and the Resistance lead a bold assault on the Death Egg to free Sonic. Meanwhile, Sonic and Rouge face off against Zavok. Will our heroes succeed? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Sonic Forces!_**


	11. Ch 11: The Great Space Jailbreak Pt 1

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Sonic Forces!_ While repairing a damaged Omega, Tails was suddenly attacked by Chaos. He was soon rescued by a Sonic from another dimension. His confidence restored after a pep talk from Classic Sonic, Tails resolved to find Eggman. Meanwhile, Knuckles and the Resistance prepare to break Sonic out of the Death Egg.**

 **Author's Note: Apologies for the delay. Every time I say I'm gonna finish this chapter, I get distracted by something else, not helped by the fact that I wasn't sure how to go about writing this chapter. Eventually, I decided to split it into two or three parts. Anyway, I hope you're all staying safe during this Coronavirus chaos!**

Deep within the Death Egg, Rouge had finally found the main computer for the Death Egg. With this, she could shut down the barrier aground the Death Egg and give the Resistance a way in. It took quite a while for her to find this place, and she had to fight her way through a few Egg Pawns along the way. She had been typing at the computer for a while now, but she had hit a wall...

...a _firewall_ to be exact.

In order to disable the barrier around the Death Egg, she first had to figure out the password that would grant her access to the security system. "Okay, what kind of password would someone as deep and sophisticated as Eggman would have?" Rouge asked herself. She thought about this for a few seconds, then her face lit up with realization. She typed in the phrase, "I hate that hedgehog". And her effort was rewarded with an error message saying "Wrong Password".

"Huh. Okay, let's try this." Rouge typed the phrase, "I am the Eggman". And again, access denied. "Strike two." Rouge said. "Then what is it?" Rouge thought hard about this. If the obvious choices were out of the question, then what could the password be? That's when she thought of something. This was a big guess, but it was all she had at the moment. Cautiously, she typed the words "Gerald C. Robotnik"...

...and a message appeared saying "Access Approved".

"Hmph, so Eggman has a soft side." Rouge mused. "Who knew?" Rouge began typing a command to deactivate the barrier as well as the cloaking field around it. A message on the screen appeared saying "BARRIER DEACTIVATED".

"Alright, now to take care of the prison's security system." Rouge began typing once again, but she didn't get far when she felt the cold steel of a gun barrel pressed against the back of her skull. "Hands up and back away from the computer." growled a gruff voice. Rouge hesitated and leaned down underneath the keyboard. In response, the gun barrel was pressed harder against her head.

"I hope, for your sake, that's lipgloss you're reaching for." the voice said. "Otherwise, I'll be painting this room a nice shade of crimson." Rouge placed a tracer under the keyboard, then raised her hands up.

"Good, now turn around." the voice commanded. Rouge turned around and found herself face to face with Zavok, the leader of the Deadly Six. In his hand, he held a large blaster. "Well, well, well." the Zeti mused. "Seems this station has a flying rodent problem. So, any last words before I splatter your brains all over the computer screen?"

Despite the situation she found herself in, a smirk tugged at the spy's lips as she replied, "No words, but a song." Zavok tilted his head in confusion, but before he could react, Rouge let out a piercing sonic scream. Like most bats, Rouge could produce ultrasonic shrieks as a form of offense. However, repeated or prolonged use can damage her voice, thus Rouge only used this as either a finishing move or a weapon of last resort.

Zavok covered his ears and doubled over in pain. Seeing her chance, Rouge rushed over and delivered a flurry of kicks before sending Zavok flying with a roundhouse kick. Zavok landed on his back and struggled to get up, but Rouge leapt towards him and delivered a spinning axe kick straight at his head, knocking the Zeti warrior out cold.

"That'll teach you to keep your hands to yourself." Rouge snarked. "Time to make my exit." She tapped the communicator in her ear as she made her way to the door. "Knuckles, I've taken down the barrier." She said. "If you're gonna make your move, now's the time." She opened the door to leave, but was soon confronted... by Zavok.

"How did-?!" Rouge didn't get a chance to finish her sentence when Zavok shot a fireball at her, knocking her out. The communicator fell out of her ear. The Zavok that was lying on the ground dissolved into a flock of black bats that flew into the real Zavok's shadow. "Zor's shadow technique really comes in handy." he mused. " _Rouge?! Rouge, what happened?!_ " Knuckles' voice came through the communicator. Zavok picked up the communicator. "Sorry, Rouge can't come to the phone right now." he said, tone laced with sadistic malice. "She's taking a nap."

" _Zavok?!_ " Knuckles exclaimed. " _What did you do to her?! If you've hurt her, I swear-!_ " Knuckles' threat was cut short by Zavok crushing the communicator. "Yeah, yeah. I've heard all the hero speeches before." he dryly said. Two Egg Pawns entered the room.

"Take her to Sonic's cell." Zavok commanded. "We're having a two for one deal: Two executions for the price of one. Also, send all troops on alert. We're about to have visitors."

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, on the shuttle...**_

"This is bad!" Knuckles shouted. "Rouge is in danger! We gotta rescue her!"

"Don't lose your head, Knuckles!" Wave said as she typed on her laptop. "I'm picking up a signal of some kind. It looks like a homing signal! Rouge must've left it there when Zavok jumped her."

"Smart girl." Knuckles said. "Then there's still a chance to save her and Sonic! Alright, here's the plan: It's only safe to assume that Zavok knows we're coming. So we're going to do the same plan we did at the Chemical Plant. We'll split into two teams. Vector, Silver, Storm, Jet, and I will launch a full frontal assault. We'll serve as a distraction to get the enemy's attention. While we do that, Espio, Wave, and the Rookie will head to that signal. Rouge was likely trying to disable the prison's security system before Zavok got her. Get to the computer and shut down the security system to free Sonic."

"The prison will likely be under heavy guard." Espio said. "This will not be easy."

"You're right." Amy replied. "There's a good chance not all of us will make it out alive. But if it means saving Sonic and turning the tide of this war, then I say it's a chance worth taking!"

"You heard the lady!" Knuckles said. "We got a hero to rescue! Let's make it happen!"

* * *

 _ **Later, in Sonic's jail cell...**_

Sonic was in his jail cell doing his situps. Of course, situps were hard to do when your hands were bound. You would think that given his looming execution, he'd be more than a little nervous. But he had resolved long ago that he wouldn't give Eggman the satisfaction of seeing him beaten. Sonic's exercise routine was brought to a halt when the door opened. Two Egg Pawns appeared and threw Rouge into the cell right in front of Sonic's feet. They then left without saying a word.

"I guess Eggman forgot to program you some manners!" Rouge snapped.

"Rouge?" Sonic asked. "What're you doing here?"

"Hey, Big Blue." Rouge replied. "Been a while. My bosses at G.U.N. had me spying on this place for months. That's how I found out you were here. I was gonna shut down the security system to free you, but as you can see, that didn't work out so well." Both Sonic and Rouge sat on the bench.

"So you've been here this whole time." Sonic said. Immediately his mind turned to another topic. "So... how have the others been doing?"

Rouge shook her head. "Things haven't been good since Eggman took over." she replied. "The gang's been holding their own, but really, it's more like they've been delaying the inevitable. But they're not giving up. Even with everything as hopeless as it is, they've still got hope. In fact... They're on their way here as we speak."

"Really?!" Sonic perked up.

"Yup!" Rouge said. "When I found out you were alive, I told the gang. You should've seen the looks on their faces. They were ecstatic! In fact, they stole a shuttle from Eggman's Chemical Plant and they're coming here to rescue you!"

"Heh. I knew those guys wouldn't give up the fight." Sonic said.

"Of course, there's the caveat that Eggman's caught wind of their jailbreak plan and he's moved up your execution. It's gonna happen today!"

"Huh. Well, I do hate long drawn out events." came Sonic's sarcastic reply.

"Nice to see you haven't lost your sense of humor." Rouge chuckled.

"These days, everyone could use a good laugh. Sonic said. "Truthfully, I am a bit nervous. But if the guys could last this long without me, then I know they'll save us!"

"I sure hope so." Rouge said.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: The Great Space Jailbreak Pt. 2. Next time on _Sonic Forces!_ The Resistance launches its assault on the Death Egg. Meanwhile, Jason's team makes their way through the jail to locate Sonic. Can they reach him in time? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Sonic Forces!_**


End file.
